Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

In computer games, this aims to increase the motivation of multiple players to contribute to a common objective. [Solution] The game server includes a common event control unit that triggers a subjugation battle when a normal quest is cleared by player P1, and a related event control unit that controls the progress of the clone battle associated with the subjugation battle for multiple players, including player P2. The common event control unit updates the damage of the main boss associated with the subjugation battle when the clone boss that appears in the clone battle is defeated by player P2. If the clone boss is not defeated, the main boss does not take damage.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Fighting against a powerful enemy character called a boss is one of the exciting scenes in a computer game (hereinafter simply referred to as "game"). Sometimes, one player confronts the boss character, and sometimes multiple players cooperate to fight against one boss character.

[0003] When multiple players confront one powerful boss character, the sense of unity as a team is enhanced for the multiple players to share the goal.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The stronger the boss character is, the greater the joy when the boss character is defeated. On the other hand, beginners who do not have sufficient strength may hardly contribute to the defeat of the boss character.

[0006] When the boss character is weak, even beginners can easily contribute to the defeat of the boss character, but it becomes difficult for advanced players to have a sense of accomplishment associated with the defeat.

[0007] The present invention is an invention completed based on the above problem recognition by the present inventor, and its main object is to provide a technique for controlling a game so as to set a common goal for multiple players and make it easy for each player to contribute to the achievement of the common goal. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] An information processing device in one aspect of the present invention includes a common event control unit that generates a common event when predetermined event conditions are met by a first player, and a related event control unit that controls the progress of related events associated with the common event for a plurality of players, including a second player. The common event control unit updates the progress of a common event when the achievement conditions set in the related event are met by the second player, and does not update the progress if the achievement conditions are not met. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it becomes easier to increase the motivation of multiple players to contribute to a common goal in a computer game. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a hardware configuration diagram of the game system. [Figure 2] This is a hardware configuration diagram for the game server. [Figure 3] This is a functional block diagram of the game system. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between the appearance of boss characters and the battle against clones. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the main boss character and its clone boss. [Figure 6] This is a screenshot of the battle selection screen. [Figure 7] This flowchart shows the processing steps after a normal quest has been completed. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart showing the process of handling a battle against clones. [Figure 9] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the processing steps for the subjugation reward in S32. [Figure 10]This is a schematic diagram to explain the guest participation system for the clone battle. [Figure 11] This is a schematic diagram to explain the diversification of difficulty levels in clone battles. [Figure 12] This is a schematic diagram to explain the system of playing multiple clone battles sequentially. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] [overview] After briefly describing the outline of the computer game assumed in this embodiment (hereinafter referred to as "Game X"), the specific configuration and control method of the game system will be described. Game X is a free-to-play (F2P) game that runs on smartphones and other devices and can be played by multiple people.

[0012] First, a friendship relationship is established between the players. Specifically, when Player P2 sends a "friend request" to Player P1 and Player P1 accepts it, a friendship relationship is established between Player P1 and Player P2. By establishing a friendship relationship, cooperative play, which will be explained later, becomes possible.

[0013] Players possess multiple characters (hereinafter, the characters owned by the player will be referred to as "P-characters"). Players use their P-characters to complete various tasks called "quests" and "missions." In quests, P-characters battle against enemy characters. P-characters grow stronger through completing tasks such as quests. P-characters can also be strengthened by equipping weapons and armor. Furthermore, P-characters can be strengthened by various items. The stronger a P-character is, the easier it becomes to defeat stronger enemy characters.

[0014] When a player wins a normal quest, a special "boss character" appears with a predetermined probability. The boss character has a main body and a clone (hereinafter referred to as the "clone boss"). The player who summoned the boss character and the players who are in a friend relationship with this player can play a battle game against the clone boss (hereinafter referred to as the "clone battle"). Multiple players play the clone battle individually. Hereinafter, when referring to the "boss character", it means the main body rather than the clone boss.

[0015] Defeating the clone boss is called "repelling". The player aims to repel the clone boss in the clone battle. If the repelling is successful, damage is dealt to the main body of the boss character. The player can deal damage to the boss character through repelling the clone boss, but cannot directly attack the main body of the boss character. As a result of multiple players continuously dealing damage to the boss character through the clone battle, when the hit points of the boss character reach zero, the boss character is defeated. Defeating the main body of the boss character is called "讨伐" (in Chinese, "defeating in a comprehensive way"), and the battle against the boss character through the clone battle is called the "defeating battle". When the boss character is defeated, various bonuses (hereinafter referred to as the "defeating bonuses") are given to the players who contributed to the defeat. The defeating bonus in this embodiment is game points, and the player can exchange game points for items and the like.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of the game system 200. In the game system 200, a game server 100 and multiple game terminals 102a, 102b, 102c...102n (hereinafter collectively referred to as "game terminals 102" when referring to them together or without distinction) are connected via the internet 106. In this embodiment, the game terminals 102 are assumed to be smartphones. The game terminals 102 may be portable game consoles or general-purpose computers such as laptop PCs. The game terminals 102 and the internet 106 are connected wirelessly, but may also be connected via a wired connection. Each game player is assigned a unique ID called a player ID. The game server 100 provides game X to each game terminal 102.

[0017] Figure 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of game server 100. The game server 100 includes a storage 312 as non-volatile memory for storing computer programs, a volatile memory 304 for expanding programs and data, registers, an arithmetic unit, an instruction decoder, etc., and a processor 300 (CPU: Central Processing Unit) that reads and executes programs from the memory 304. The processor 300 is connected to a relatively high-speed first bus 302. In addition to the memory 304, a NIC (Network Interface Card) is connected to the first bus 302. The first bus 302 is also connected to a GPU. Other devices, such as a Graphics Processing Unit, may be connected.

[0018] The first bus 302 is connected to the relatively slower second bus 310 via a bridge 308. In addition to the storage 312, output devices 316 such as a monitor or speakers are connected to the second bus 310. Input devices 314 such as a mouse or keyboard, and peripheral devices 318 such as a printer may also be connected to the second bus 310.

[0019] Figure 3 is a functional block diagram of game system 200. The game system 200 includes a game server 100 and a game terminal 102. Each component of the game server 100 and game terminal 102 is realized by hardware including arithmetic units such as a CPU and various coprocessors, storage devices such as memory and storage, and wired or wireless communication lines connecting them, and software stored in the storage devices that supplies processing instructions to the arithmetic units. The computer program may consist of device drivers, an operating system, various application programs located at a higher layer, and libraries that provide common functions to these programs. The blocks described below represent functional units, not hardware units. The game server 100 may include a web server, and the game terminal 102 may include a portable communication terminal and a web browser installed thereon.

[0020] (Game Server 100) The game server 100 includes a communication unit 112, a data processing unit 110, and a data storage unit 114. The communication unit 112 is responsible for communication processing with the game terminal 102 via the internet 106. The data storage unit 114 stores various types of data. The data processing unit 110 performs various processes based on the data acquired by the communication unit 112 and the data stored in the data storage unit 114. The data processing unit 110 also functions as an interface for the communication unit 112 and the data storage unit 114.

[0021] The data storage unit 114 includes a game data storage unit 130 and a player data storage unit 132. The game data storage unit 130 stores the game program as well as setting information for game X. The player data storage unit 132 manages various information about the player, such as friend relationships.

[0022] The data processing unit 110 includes a player registration unit 116, a game control unit 124, and a friend management unit 152. The player registration unit 116 accepts player registration from the game terminal 102 via the communication unit 112. When a player registration request is received, the player registration unit 116 assigns a player ID to the player.

[0023] The Friend Management Unit 152 manages the friendship relationships between players. Specifically, the Friend Management Unit 152 displays a list of other players to Player P2's game terminal 102. Player P2 selects a player they wish to be friends with from the list screen (not shown) and sends a friend request. For example, suppose Player P2 designates Player P1 and sends a friend request. Player P2's game terminal 102 sends the friend request to Player P1 to the game server 100, and the Friend Management Unit 152 notifies Player P1's game terminal 102 of the friend request from Player P2. Player P1 chooses to accept or reject the friend request from Player P2.

[0024] Player P1's game terminal 102 sends a reply to the game server 100 indicating acceptance or rejection. The friend management unit 152 notifies Player P2 of Player P1's reply. When Player P1 accepts the friend request, the friend management unit 152 registers Player P1 and Player P2 as friends in the player data storage unit 132.

[0025] The game control unit 124 controls the basic progress of game X. The game control unit 124 includes a normal quest control unit 120, a bonus granting unit 122, a common event control unit 126, and a related event control unit 128. The normal quest control unit 120 controls the progress of normal quests (hereinafter referred to as "normal quests"). The player is always presented with multiple normal quests, and when the player selects a normal quest, the normal quest control unit 120 starts the selected normal quest.

[0026] The reward distribution unit 122 grants various rewards to the player according to the play results. The common event control unit 126 performs a lottery (hereinafter referred to as the "appearance lottery") to determine whether or not a boss character will appear when a normal quest is cleared. If the appearance lottery is successful, the common event control unit 126 considers that the event conditions have been met and makes the boss character appear. The appearance of the boss character starts the subjugation battle (common event). The appearance of the boss character may also be referred to as the "discovery" of the boss character as appropriate.

[0027] The related event control unit 128 provides the opportunity to play the avatar battle (related event) to the player who has fulfilled the event conditions, in other words, the player who has "discovered" the boss character (hereinafter also referred to as the "discoverer"), and to another player who is friends with the discoverer (hereinafter simply referred to as the "friend"). The related event control unit 128 controls the progress of the avatar battle on each game terminal 102.

[0028] (Game terminal 102) The game terminal 102 includes a user interface processing unit 136, a communication unit 134, a data processing unit 138, and a data storage unit 140. The user interface processing unit 136 includes an input unit 142 that accepts operations from the player and an output unit 144 that performs image display and sound output. The output unit 144 includes a display unit 150 that displays various screens. The communication unit 134 is responsible for communication processing with the game server 100 and other game terminals 102 via the internet 106. The data storage unit 140 stores various data. The data processing unit 138 performs various processes based on the data acquired by the user interface processing unit 136 and the communication unit 134, and the data stored in the data storage unit 140. The data processing unit 138 also functions as an interface for the user interface processing unit 136, the communication unit 134, and the data storage unit 140.

[0029] The data processing unit 138 includes the game execution unit 146. The game execution unit 146 works in conjunction with the game server 100 to control the progress of the game, particularly the regular quests and the clone battles. The game execution unit 146 of the game terminal 102 may be formed as a software module downloaded from the game server 100 as part of the functions of the game control unit 118.

[0030] The communication unit 134 acquires various game information from the game server 100, and the display unit 150 displays the game screen on the game terminal 102. The input unit 142 detects various inputs from the player, and some of the input information is notified to the game server 100. In response to the input information, the data processing unit 138, in particular the game execution unit 146, controls the progress of the game.

[0031] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between the appearance of boss characters and the battle against clones. Here, we assume there are four players, Players P1 through P4. Friendships exist between Player P1 and Player P2, Player P1 and Player P3, and Player P3 and Player P4.

[0032] When player P1 completes a normal quest, that is, when the objective (mission) set in the normal quest is resolved and achieved, the boss character BA appears. At this time, the related event control unit 128 sets up a clone battle EA1 for player P1 (the discoverer) to fight a clone boss of boss character BA. Also, the communication unit 112 of the game server 100 sends a "discovery notification" to player P1's (the discoverer's) friends P2 and P3.

[0033] The related event control unit 128 further sets up a clone battle EA2 on player P2's (friend's) game terminal 102, where the player will face off against a clone boss of boss character BA, and also sets up a clone battle EA3 on player P3's (friend's) game terminal 102, where the player will face off against a clone boss of boss character BA. As a result, players P1, P2, and P3 will be able to play clone battles EA1, EA2, and EA3, respectively.

[0034] The battle to defeat the boss character BA begins when these three players each fight a battle on their respective game terminals 102. In other words, this battle is a concept that can be described as a group battle formed through the cooperative play of the three players. Player P4 is not friends with Player P1, so Player P4 cannot participate in the battle to defeat the boss character BA.

[0035] Similarly, suppose that when player P3 clears a normal quest, the boss character BB appears. The related event control unit 128 adds a clone battle EB1 for player P3 (the discoverer), where they will face a clone boss of boss character BB. The communication unit 112 sends discovery notifications to player P3's friends P1 and P4. The related event control unit 128 sets up clone battles EB2 and EB3 for players P1 and P4 respectively. Player P2 is not a friend of player P3, so they cannot participate in the battle against boss character BB.

[0036] In summary, Player P1 can play the clone battle EA1 for boss character BA, which they discovered, and the clone battle EB2 for boss character BB, which Friend P3 discovered. Player P2 can play the clone battle EA2 for boss character BA, which Friend P1 discovered, but the clone battle for boss character BB is not set up for them. Player P3 can play the clone battle EB1 for boss character BB, which they discovered, and the clone battle EA2 for boss character BA, which Friend P1 discovered. And Player P4 can play the clone battle EB3 for boss character BB, which Friend P3 discovered. In this way, each player can participate in the group that hunts boss characters they discovered and the group that hunts boss characters discovered by their friends.

[0037] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the main boss character and its clone boss. This explanation assumes that player P1 discovers the boss character BA, and players P1, P2, and P3 participate in a battle to defeat the boss character BA. First, when the common event control unit 126 makes the boss character BA appear, it determines the boss character BA's hit points (health points). In this embodiment, the common event control unit 126 randomly selects a number within a predetermined range, for example, between 1 million and 100 million, and sets the selected number as the boss character BA's hit points. Players P1, P2, and P3 are not notified of the boss character BA's hit points.

[0038] Boss character BA is associated with clone bosses 162a, 162b, and 162c. Clone battle EA1 is a game where you fight clone boss 162a of boss character BA. Player P1 fights clone boss 162a using character P. Similarly, clone battle EA2 is a game where you fight clone boss 162b, and clone battle EA3 is a game where you fight clone boss 162c. Players P1, P2, and P2 play clone battles EA1, EA2, and EA3 individually.

[0039] The common event control unit 126 randomly sets the hit points (attribute value) of the clone boss 162 within the range of 1,000 to 300,000. In this embodiment, the common event control unit 126 sets the hit points of clone bosses 162a, 162b, and 162c to the same value. When player P1 reduces the hit points of clone boss 162a to zero (a predetermined value) in clone battle EA1, the defeat is successful (the achievement condition is met). Defeating clone boss 162 may also be referred to as "clearing the clone battle."

[0040] The common event control unit 126 randomly selects one of four values ​​(hereinafter referred to as "damage points"): "1,000", "5,000", "30,000", and "100,000" when the boss is defeated. The process of selecting damage points after defeating the clone boss 162 is called "damage lottery". The common event control unit 126 subtracts the selected damage points from the hit points of the boss character BA. As mentioned above, the player cannot directly attack the boss character BA itself, and indirectly reduces the hit points of the boss character BA by defeating the clone boss 162. The remaining hit points of the boss character BA correspond to the progress of the battle against the boss character BA. Hereafter, in order to distinguish between the hit points of the main boss character BA and the hit points of the clone boss 162, the hit points of the main boss character BA will be referred to as "main points," and the hit points of the clone boss 162 will be referred to as "clone points."

[0041] If player P2 can defeat clone boss 162b in clone battle EA2, the common event control unit 126 further reduces the main body points of boss character BA (update executed). If player P2 loses to clone boss 162b, the common event control unit 126 does not reduce the main body points (update not possible). In the clone battle, the player wins if the clone points (hit points of clone boss 162) become zero before the hit points of the P character become zero. (Successful defeat) If the player character's hit points reach zero before the clone boss 162, the player loses (failed defeat).

[0042] Player P1 can play Clone Battle EA1 multiple times after defeating Clone Boss 162a, and can fight the same Clone Boss 162a again and again. By repeatedly playing Clone Battle EA1 and defeating Clone Boss 162a, Player P1 can gradually reduce the main character's points. Also, the more friends who actively participate in the battle to defeat boss character BA, the faster the main character's points will decrease.

[0043] As described above, the main points of the boss character BA gradually decrease as players P1, P2, and P3 play the clone battle on their respective game terminals 102. Players P1, P2, and P3 play the clone battle independently, but the shared and formidable boss character BA is defeated through a battle that fosters a sense of solidarity among the players.

[0044] When the main points reach zero, the battle is considered successful and the boss character BA disappears. Based on the contribution to defeating the boss character BA, the reward distribution unit 122 grants each player a defeat reward (described later).

[0045] Assume that Player P1 is an experienced, advanced player with a powerful P-character, while Player P2 is an inexperienced, lower-ranking player without a powerful P-character. Since each of the 162 clone bosses has the same clone points, Player P1 has a higher chance of defeating clone boss 162a than Player P2 has a higher chance of defeating clone boss 162b.

[0046] After a successful defeat, the common event control unit 126 randomly selects damage points. Therefore, even if player P1 defeats clone boss 162a, it does not necessarily mean that significant damage will be dealt to boss character BA. On the other hand, if player P2 defeats clone boss 162b, significant damage may be dealt to boss character BA. Since damage points are determined by a damage lottery, even lower-ranked players have the potential to make a significant contribution to defeating boss character BA. On the other hand, advanced players have an advantage over clone boss 162, as they are more likely to defeat it.

[0047] Figure 6 is a screenshot of the battle selection screen 170. In addition to the regular quest selection screen (not shown), the player can display a separate participation selection screen 170 (selection screen) for choosing a clone battle. The participation selection screen 170 includes a self-discovery area 178 and an other-discovery area 180. Figure 6 shows the participation selection screen 170 displayed by player P6 on game terminal 102.

[0048] The self-discovery area 178 displays information about the boss character BC discovered by player P6. When player P6 has not discovered a boss character, the display unit 150 sets the self-discovery area 178 to a blank display. The other-discovery area 180 displays information about the boss characters BD, BE, and BF discovered by player P6's friends.

[0049] A predetermined "appearance period" is set for the boss character. In this embodiment, the appearance period is set to 50 hours. The common event control unit 126 makes the boss character retreat when 50 hours have elapsed since the boss character appeared. Since the boss character will run away after the appearance period ends, each player must defeat the boss character as soon as it appears. In other words, if the appearance period expires without the boss character being defeated, the discoverer and their friends who were participating in the battle to defeat the boss character will no longer be able to play the battle against the boss character's clone boss.

[0050] The HP indicator 172 displayed in the self-discovery area 178 illustrates the remaining amount of the boss character BC's main points. The remaining amount of main points (progress of the battle) is indicated by the gauge length of the HP indicator 172. However, as mentioned above, the actual numerical value of the main points is not shown. The absolute value is not communicated to the player. The HP indicator 172 is merely a graph showing the progress of the battle. When player P6 touches the challenge button 174, the related event control unit 128 executes a clone battle against the boss character BC.

[0051] Multiple battle panels 176 are displayed in the other player discovery area 180. Player P6 can scroll through and display other battle panels 176 by operating the scroll bar 182. Battle panel 176a corresponds to boss character BD discovered by friend P5. Battle panel 176b corresponds to boss character BE discovered by friend P7, and battle panel 176c corresponds to boss character BF discovered by friend P11.

[0052] When player P6 touches the subjugation battle panel 176a, the related event control unit 128 starts a clone battle against boss character BD. A total of 28 players are participating in the subjugation battle against boss character BD (subjugation battle panel 176a), and there are 25 minutes remaining until boss character BD escapes. Since player P6 has played the clone battle on subjugation battle panel 176a before, the display unit 150 adds a participation mark 184 that says "Participating" to the subjugation battle panel 176a (an identifiable display). Each time a player plays a clone battle, the related event control unit 128 records in the player data storage unit 132 as part of the player information which player participated in which boss battle, whether they were able to defeat the clone boss 162, and how much damage was dealt to the main character's points.

[0053] Player P6 did not participate in the battle against boss character BE (battle panel 176b). Therefore, the display unit 150 does not assign the participation mark 184 to battle panel 176b. The same applies to battle panel 176c, which corresponds to boss character BF.

[0054] If the boss character is successfully defeated, the reward distribution unit 122 awards the defeat reward to the players who contributed to the defeat. "Players who contributed to the defeat" here refers to the player who discovered the boss character, the player who defeated the clone boss at least once in the clone battle, the player who delivered the final blow to the boss character, the player who dealt the most damage to the boss character, etc. Further details will be discussed later in relation to Figure 9. Boss characters with low remaining main points become "prey" that are easier to obtain defeat rewards from. When the gauge length of the HP indicator 172 shortens, players' desire to participate is stimulated.

[0055] However, the absolute value of the boss's points is not disclosed to the player, so a short gauge length does not necessarily mean the boss is close to being defeated. In the case of a boss character with a very large initial base points, the remaining base points may be surprisingly high even when the gauge length is short. In the case of a boss character with a small initial base points, a long gauge length may indicate that the boss is close to being defeated. While the gauge length is a useful indicator, it does not show the actual remaining base points, so players need to carefully consider which battle to participate in.

[0056] As will be explained in more detail later, player P6 can receive a reward for defeating a boss character they have previously participated in, even if the defeat was achieved by another player. Therefore, it is desirable for player P6 to actively participate in clone battles they have previously participated in from among the multiple clone battles displayed on the participation selection screen 170. The display unit 150 not only assigns a participation mark 184 to the clone battle panel 176 of the player who has previously participated in a boss battle, but also displays it higher (prioritizes display), making it easier for the player to select a clone battle of a boss character they have previously participated in.

[0057] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the processing steps after a normal quest has been completed. When a player clears a normal quest, the common event control unit 126 performs an appearance lottery (S10). The probability of winning the appearance lottery is set to approximately 1 / 10 to 1 / 20. If the appearance lottery is unsuccessful (N in S10), the subsequent processing is not executed.

[0058] When the appearance lottery is successful (Y in S10), the common event control unit 126 displays the boss character appearance screen (not shown) on the discoverer's game terminal 102 (S14). The common event control unit 126 randomly determines the boss character's body points from a predetermined range. The common event control unit 126 instructs the communication unit 112 to send a discovery notification to the discoverer's friend (S16). When the discovery notification is received, the display unit 150 of the game terminal 102 displays the boss character discovery screen (not shown). The related event control unit 128 sets up a clone battle for the friend (S18). As described above, at this time, the related event control unit 128 sets the clone points of the clone boss 162.

[0059] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the processing steps for the clone battle. When the player selects one of the clone battles on the battle selection screen 170, the related event control unit 128 executes the clone battle, and the player plays a battle game against the clone boss 162 (S20). If the player fails to defeat the clone boss 162, that is, if the P character is defeated by the clone boss 162 (N in S20), the subsequent processing is not executed.

[0060] When the clone boss 162 is defeated (Y in S22), the common event control unit 126 performs a damage lottery (S24). The damage lottery determines the damage points. The common event control unit 126 updates the remaining amount of main points by subtracting the damage points from the main points (S26). The reward granting unit 122 grants the player a defeat reward as a reward for defeating the clone boss 162. In this embodiment, the defeat reward is approximately 1000 game points.

[0061] When damage is dealt to the boss character, resulting in its main points becoming zero and the boss being successfully defeated (Y in S30), the reward granting unit 122 further executes a defeat reward process to grant defeat rewards to one or more players (S32). Details of the defeat reward process will be described later in relation to Figure 9. If the boss is not defeated (N in S30), the defeat reward process in S32 is not executed.

[0062] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the processing steps for the subjugation reward in S32 of Figure 8. When a boss is defeated, the reward granting unit 122 first grants the discoverer of the boss character that was targeted for defeat a "discovery reward (first reward)" (S40). For example, when the boss character BA discovered by player P1 is defeated, the reward granting unit 122 grants the discovery reward to player P1. The discovery reward may be game points, or the reward granting unit 122 may perform the action of "adding new items that can be exchanged for game points" as a discovery reward. Players can obtain discovery rewards by clearing normal quests and making boss characters appear.

[0063] Next, the reward granting unit 122 grants a "reward for defeating the clone boss 162 (second reward)" based on the number of times the clone boss 162 has been defeated (S42). For example, suppose player P2 has defeated the clone boss 162b three times in a battle against the clone boss character BA. When the boss character BA is defeated, the reward granting unit 122 grants player P2 a reward for defeating the clone boss 162b, which is the number of times the boss has been defeated multiplied by a predetermined number of points. By defeating the clone boss 162 many times in a battle against the clone boss, the player has the potential to acquire many rewards for defeating the clone boss 162.

[0064] Next, the reward distribution unit 122 awards the "MVP (Most Valuable Player) reward (second reward)" to the player who contributed the most to defeating the boss character (S44). When a player defeats the clone boss 162, damage points are calculated by damage lottery. The common event control unit 126 calculates the cumulative value of damage points for each player. Among the multiple players who participated in the battle to defeat the boss character, the reward distribution unit 122 awards game points as the MVP reward to the player with the largest cumulative value of damage points. Players can expect to acquire the MVP reward by defeating the same clone boss 162 multiple times.

[0065] Finally, the reward granting unit 122 grants the player who delivers the final blow to the boss character the "LA (Last Attack) reward (second reward)" (S46). When the player defeats the clone boss 162 and their main points reach zero, the reward granting unit 122 grants game points to this player as the LA reward. As the remaining main points decrease, the expectation of obtaining the LA reward increases, so the LA reward functions as an element that adds excitement to the final stages of the battle.

[0066] [Summary] The game system 200 has been described above based on the embodiments. In Game X, multiple players each independently confront the clone boss 162, while sharing the common goal of defeating the boss character by defeating the clone boss 162. Since the battle is not designed for multiplayer, each player can challenge the clone boss at a time that is convenient for them, regardless of the progress of other players.

[0067] Advanced players can defeat Clone Boss 162 more easily than lower-level players, so players can contribute more to the battle by strengthening their P-characters. On the other hand, since damage points are determined by damage lottery, even lower-level players have a chance to inflict significant damage on the boss character if they can defeat Clone Boss 162. Therefore, even lower-level players can contribute significantly to defeating the boss character. It is desirable that Clone Boss 162 be set at a level that is not too easy for advanced players and not too difficult for lower-level players.

[0068] Game Server 100 does not notify the absolute value of the main points, but only the rate of decrease in the main points as the gauge length. Each player can estimate how close they are to successfully defeating the boss character based on the gauge length, but they cannot be certain how much damage they need to inflict on the boss character to succeed. As the gauge length decreases, expectations for defeat rewards such as LA rewards increase, resulting in the final stages of the battle becoming an exciting moment for Game X.

[0069] On the other hand, even when the gauge length is long, the actual remaining points may not be that high. Even when the gauge length is long, there is still a possibility that the boss will be defeated soon, which helps maintain players' motivation to participate. Furthermore, to obtain various defeat rewards such as MVP rewards and participation rewards, it is advantageous to participate in the boss battle early. MVP rewards and other such rewards can stimulate players' motivation to participate even when the boss is not yet defeated.

[0070] In particular, since the Last Attack (LA) bonus is obtained by delivering the final blow to a boss character, players need to pay attention to the gauge length of each boss character when aiming for the LA bonus. Even players who have contributed little to defeating a boss character can receive the LA bonus if they can deliver the final blow. Players who have actively participated in the battle to defeat a boss character are encouraged to participate especially actively in the battle as the boss is about to be defeated to prevent a third party from taking the LA bonus.

[0071] The display unit 150 adds a participation mark 184 to the battle panels 176 in which the player has previously participated on the battle selection screen 170. Players are more likely to receive MVP and participation rewards for battles in which they have previously participated than for battles in which they have not participated. Therefore, by displaying the battle panels 176 in which the player has previously participated using the participation mark 184, it becomes easier for the player to select a battle panel 176 in which they are more likely to receive rewards.

[0072] The appearance of boss characters is determined by a random draw after clearing a regular quest. This increases the player's anticipation of a boss character's appearance after clearing a regular quest. Furthermore, the likelihood of a boss character appearing is effective in increasing the motivation to play regular quests.

[0073] After a boss character appears, a discovery notification is automatically sent to friends, allowing the discoverer and their friends to participate in the battle against the boss character. The discovery notification gives friends the feeling of being urgently summoned, which can liven up the battle.

[0074] Even if the discoverer doesn't contribute to defeating the boss character, they can still receive a discovery bonus if a friend defeats the boss character for them. Players also benefit from simply discovering the boss character. The discovery bonus can further increase anticipation for the boss character's appearance and motivate them to play regular quests.

[0075] Since a notification is automatically sent to friends each time a boss character is discovered, GameX can strengthen "connections" among friends by allowing them to report discoveries to each other, and provide many players with a sense of unity, solidarity, and shared purpose through projects where everyone works together to defeat boss characters found by their friends.

[0076] Players can expect future rewards for participating in numerous battles. These rewards encourage players to actively participate in battles.

[0077] The boss battles also have the effect of encouraging the formation of friendships. The more friends a player makes, the more likely they are to receive discovery notifications, increasing their opportunities to play in avatar battles. Also, the more friends a player has, the more likely they are to have others defeat the boss characters they have discovered, making it easier to obtain discovery rewards. In Game X, the shared goal of defeating boss characters enables a mutually supportive gameplay experience where players help and give to one another.

[0078] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above, and the components can be modified and implemented without departing from the spirit of the invention. Various inventions may be formed by appropriately combining the multiple components disclosed in the embodiments and modifications described above. In addition, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiments and modifications described above.

[0079] Although the game system 200 is described as being composed of multiple game terminals 102 and one game server 100, some of the functions of the game terminals 102 may be implemented by the game server 100, and some of the functions of the game server 100 may be assigned to the game terminals 102. Furthermore, a third device other than the game terminals 102 and game server 100 may perform some of the functions of the game server 100 or the game terminals 102. The collection of each function of the game terminals 102 and each function of the game server 100 described in Figure 3 can also be broadly understood as a single "information processing device (game device)". How to distribute the multiple functions necessary to realize the present invention to one or more hardware devices should be determined in consideration of the processing capacity of each hardware device and the specifications required for the game system 200.

[0080] [Differentiation] In this embodiment, the difficulty of the subjugation battle and the clone battle is set by the main body points and the clone points. As a variation, the difficulty of the subjugation battle and the clone battle may be set by parameters other than hit points. For example, the difficulty of the subjugation battle and the clone battle may be adjusted by factors such as the attack power, defense power, type of special attack of the clone boss 162, and the characteristics of the battle field. Multiple clone bosses 162 may appear in the clone battle, and the difficulty of the clone battle may be adjusted by the number of clone bosses 162 that must be defeated.

[0081] The difficulty of the subjugation battle may be adjusted based on the duration of the boss character's appearance. The common event control unit 126 may increase the difficulty of the subjugation battle by shortening the appearance period, or decrease the difficulty of the subjugation battle by lengthening the appearance period.

[0082] Rewards such as defeat rewards and subjugation rewards do not have to be game points. Rewards may be content such as items and characters, or they may change the attribute values ​​of P characters (e.g., hit points, attack power) to the player's advantage. Rewards may also grant players the opportunity to challenge new regular quests. Rewards should be elements that are effective in helping players progress through Game X to their advantage or that expand their opportunities to play.

[0083] The explanation stated that the player can challenge the same avatar battle any number of times. As a variation, the game control unit 124 may set action values ​​for the P character. The related event control unit 128 may allow the player to challenge the avatar battle on the condition that action values ​​are consumed. The game control unit 124 recovers action values ​​over time. In this case, the player can only play the avatar battle when sufficient action values ​​have been accumulated.

[0084] The bonus granting unit 122 may grant action points to the player as a type of bonus. Limiting the opportunity to play in clone battles based on action points will encourage the player to carefully consider which of the multiple subjugation battles to participate in.

[0085] Normal quests may have a predetermined difficulty level. The difficulty level can be set at the discretion of the designer of Game X. The common event control unit 126 may set a higher difficulty level for the boss battle when a boss character appears after a normal quest with a high difficulty level has been cleared.

[0086] Specifically, the difficulty level of the regular quests is set to one of three levels: A (high), B (medium), or C (low). When a regular quest (A) is cleared, the common event control unit 126 will summon a powerful boss character (A). For example, the common event control unit 126 will randomly select the boss character (A)'s base points within the range of 50 million to 100 million (high range). When a regular quest (B) is cleared, the common event control unit 126 will randomly select the boss character (B)'s base points within the range of 10 million to 60 million (mid range). When a regular quest (C) is cleared, the common event control unit 126 will randomly select the boss character (C)'s base points within the range of 1 million to 20 million (low range).

[0087] When a difficult regular quest is cleared, the difficulty of the subsequent subjugation battle also increases. Players who can clear difficult regular quests are likely to be advanced players. Also, generally speaking, advanced players tend to have advanced friends. Therefore, when an advanced player clears a difficult regular quest, the common event control unit 126 can provide a challenging subjugation battle that will be rewarding for advanced players.

[0088] On the other hand, when an easy regular quest is completed, the difficulty of the subjugation battle is reduced. Since players who attempt easy regular quests are likely to be lower-level players, the common event control unit 126 can control the subjugation battle so that it does not become excessively difficult for lower-level players. With this control method, the common event control unit 126 can more easily provide subjugation battles of appropriate difficulty according to the player's skill level.

[0089] The related event control unit 128 may set the difficulty of the clone battle according to the difficulty of the normal quest. Specifically, when normal quest (A) is cleared, the related event control unit 128 selects the clone points of clone boss 162 from the range of 100,000 to 300,000 (high range). When normal quest (B) is cleared, the related event control unit 128 randomly selects the clone points from the range of 10,000 to 150,000 (mid range). When normal quest (C) is cleared, the related event control unit 128 randomly selects the clone points from the range of 1,000 to 20,000 (low range).

[0090] When a difficult regular quest is completed, the difficulty of the clone battle will also increase, and when an easy regular quest is completed, the difficulty of the clone battle will decrease. In this case as well, it will be easier to provide a clone battle of appropriate difficulty according to the player's skill level.

[0091] Main body points do not change according to the difficulty of the normal quest, and the related event control unit 128 may change only the clone points. Depending on the difficulty of the normal quest, the common event control unit 126 may change the main body hit points, but not the clone points. Depending on the difficulty of the normal quest, both the main body points and the clone points may be changed.

[0092] As mentioned above, the difficulty of the subjugation battle and the clone battle may be adjusted by parameters other than the main character points and clone points.

[0093] The common event control unit 126 may make a boss character appear by means other than a random appearance lottery. For example, the common event control unit 126 may make a boss character appear when a specific normal quest is cleared among several normal quests. Alternatively, it may make a specific normal quest appear randomly. The common event control unit 126 may also make a boss character appear when the player meets certain conditions in a normal quest, for example, when the player character clears a normal quest without taking any damage, or when the player character clears a normal quest within a predetermined time.

[0094] The common event control unit 126 may change the probability of winning the appearance lottery according to the difficulty of the normal quest. For example, the common event control unit 126 may set the probability of a boss character appearing to 1 / 5 when a normal quest (A) is cleared, to 1 / 10 for normal quest (B), and to 1 / 20 for normal quest (C). Making it easier for a boss character to appear when a difficult normal quest is cleared will make it easier to stimulate players' motivation to challenge high-difficulty normal quests.

[0095] The strength of clone boss 162 may be inversely proportional to the main boss's points. For example, the related event control unit 128 increases the initial value of clone boss 162's clone points as the main boss's points decrease. With this control method, it becomes more difficult to defeat clone boss 162 as the battle nears its end, making the final stages of the battle more exciting. In addition, increasing the difficulty of the clone battle makes it easier for advanced players to obtain LA bonuses, thus providing a gameplay experience that is advantageous to advanced players skilled in Game X.

[0096] Player characters may have a level assigned to them that indicates their strength. Player characters may gain experience points and level up when they defeat the clone boss 162. When the boss character is defeated, the reward granting unit 122 may grant experience points to the player's player character who participated in the battle as a reward for defeating the boss.

[0097] Suppose player P1 discovers boss character BA1 and defeats it. After defeating BA1, the next boss character player P1 discovers, BA2, may be stronger than the defeated BA1. The more boss characters player P1 continues to discover, the more difficult the battle becomes, thus providing a continuously challenging battle experience that is linked to player P1's skill level.

[0098] When player P1 discovers boss character BA1, player P1 may be prohibited from discovering any new boss characters until boss character BA1 is defeated or until boss character BA1 disappears after its appearance period ends. In other words, a player may be prohibited from discovering more than one boss character at the same time.

[0099] Players may be assigned a rank (player rank). The rank is a concept that indicates the player's proficiency with Game X, and may be an indicator of, for example, the strength, level, or equipment of the player character. The game control unit 124 may set the rank according to the total play time of Game X.

[0100] The range of players who can form friendships may be restricted according to their rank. For example, the Friend Management Unit 152 may control the system so that only players with a rank of 40 or higher can send friend requests to a player with a rank of 50. This type of control makes it easier to equalize the levels of players participating in raid battles. By leveling out the levels of players participating in raid battles, the chances of all players obtaining raid rewards can be made equal, making raid battles more exciting.

[0101] A hunting group may be formed based on relationships other than friendship. For example, the game server 100 may be equipped with a location management unit (not shown) that manages the current location of each player using GPS (Global Positioning System). When player P1 discovers a boss character, the communication unit 112 may send a discovery notification to players within a predetermined range from player P1's current location. This control method allows for the creation of impromptu hunting groups among players who are geographically close to each other. In addition, when a user's profile is registered with the game server 100, a hunting group may be formed among players living in the same area (e.g., town). Besides area, a hunting group may also be formed among players who share various attributes such as age and player registration time.

[0102] The reward granting unit 122 may differentiate the rewards for defeating bosses depending on the boss character. Similarly, the reward granting unit 122 may differentiate the rewards for defeating clone bosses 162. For example, the rewards for defeating strong boss characters may be set to be more advantageous to the player than the rewards for defeating weaker boss characters. The reward granting unit 122 may grant more game points as rewards for defeating bosses as the difficulty of the battle increases. Similarly, the reward granting unit 122 may grant more game points as rewards for defeating clone bosses as the difficulty of the battle increases.

[0103] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the guest participation method in the clone battle. In this embodiment, when player P1 discovers the boss character BA, it was explained that only player P1's friends can participate in the battle against boss character BA. Furthermore, it was explained that only one player can participate in a clone battle (hereinafter referred to as "solo play"). As a variation, two or more players may participate in a clone battle (hereinafter referred to as "multiplayer").

[0104] In Figure 10, Player P1 and Player P2 are friends. Player P5 is not friends with either Player P1 or P2. When Player P1 discovers the boss character BA, the related event control unit 128 sets up a clone battle EA1 for Player P1. At the same time, the related event control unit 128 sets up a clone battle EA2 for Player P2. Here, Player P2 can set up multiplayer for the clone battle EA2.

[0105] When player P2 sets up multiplayer for the clone battle EA2, the related event control unit 128 sends a recruitment notification to another game terminal 102. Here, let's assume player P5 responds to player P2's recruitment notification. At this time, players P2 and P5 can play clone battle EA2 simultaneously. Specifically, player P2's P character and player P5's P character cooperate to attack the clone boss 162b in clone battle EA2. With player P2's cooperation, it becomes easier for player P2 to defeat the clone boss 162b. Player P2 plays clone battle EA2 as the host (first role), and player P5 plays clone battle EA2 as a guest (second role).

[0106] In the multiplayer mode, Player P5 can enjoy the clone battle EA2 with Player P2. After Player P5 plays the clone battle EA2, the related event control unit 128 sets up the clone battle EA4 for Player P5. The clone battle EA4 corresponds to the battle to defeat the boss character BA discovered by Player P1. From there, Player P5 can play the clone battle EA4 solo. Player P5 can also recruit participants for the multiplayer battle EA4 as the host.

[0107] In other words, if player P5 participates in the clone battle EA2, they can then participate in the boss battle against character BA, even if they are no longer friends with player P1. Even players with few friends can increase their chances of participating in boss battles by actively participating in multiplayer.

[0108] The related event control unit 128 may set up clone battle EA4 for player P5, provided that player P5 successfully defeats clone boss 162b in clone battle EA2. When setting up clone battle EA4, the friend management unit 152 may automatically send a friend request from player P5 to player P1. This control method allows player P5 to expand their friend list through guest participation.

[0109] In the multiplayer clone battle EA2, when clone boss 162b is defeated, the reward granting unit 122 grants defeat rewards to both players P2 and P5. When a boss character is defeated, there may be restrictions on the defeat rewards for players who participated only as guests. For example, the reward granting unit 122 may not grant discovery rewards, MVP rewards, or LA rewards to players who participated only as guests.

[0110] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating the diversification of difficulty levels in clone battles. In this embodiment, it was explained that the clone points are the same for each of the multiple players participating in the subjugation battle. In other words, it was explained that the difficulty level of each of the multiple clone battles associated with a given subjugation battle is the same. As a variation, the difficulty levels of the multiple clone battles associated with a single subjugation battle may be different from each other.

[0111] In Figure 11, for the battle against the boss character BG, clone battles EG1, EG2, EG3, and EG4 are set for players P1, P2, P3, and P4, respectively. The related event control unit 128 may set the difficulty of the clone battles according to the player's rank. Specifically, the related event control unit 128 sets the difficulty of clone battle EG1 to level A (high) for player P1 (advanced player) with a rank of "100" or higher, the difficulty of clone battle EG4 to level B (medium) for player P5 (intermediate player) with a rank of "50 to 99", and the difficulty of clone battles EG2 and EG3 to level C (low) for players P2 and P3 (lower-ranked players) with a rank of "49 or lower".

[0112] As one example of how difficulty can be adjusted, the related event control unit 128 may adjust the clone points. That is, clone bosses that appear in high-difficulty clone battles will have higher clone points (162), making them more difficult to defeat. The related event control unit 128 can set the difficulty of the clone battle according to the player's rank, thereby providing clone battles of appropriate difficulty to all players.

[0113] Alternatively, the related event control unit 128 may randomly set the difficulty level of the clone battles. For example, when the related event control unit 128 sets clone battle EG1 for player P1, it randomly selects the difficulty level of clone battle EG1 from A, B, or C. Similarly, the related event control unit 128 may also randomly select the difficulty levels of clone battles EG2, EG3, and EG4.

[0114] Players who are assigned to a clone battle with a lower difficulty level relative to their rank will have an advantage as they will be more likely to earn defeat and kill rewards. Players assigned to a clone battle with a higher difficulty level relative to their rank will be at a disadvantage. By setting the difficulty of the clone battles to be random (unequal), players will need to decide which clone battle to play on the battle selection screen 170 to see which one will be most advantageous.

[0115] The display unit 150 may also display the difficulty level of the clone battle on the subjugation battle panel 176. The player can then decide which clone battle to challenge by checking the difficulty level of the clone battle.

[0116] The display unit 150 displays a number of clone battles of different difficulty levels on the battle selection screen 170. At this time, the display unit 150 may control the display order of the subjugation battle panels 176 according to the player's rank. For example, when the player's rank is B level (intermediate), the display unit 150 may display the subjugation battle panels 176 corresponding to difficulty level B at the top. Alternatively, the display unit 150 may display only the subjugation battle panels 176 that match the player's rank on the battle selection screen 170. For example, for a B level player, the display unit 150 may display only the subjugation battle panels 176 corresponding to difficulty level B on the battle selection screen 170.

[0117] The higher the difficulty of the clone battle, the more favorable the damage lottery may be for the player. Specifically, the lottery table should be set so that higher damage points are more likely to be selected as the difficulty of the clone battle increases. With this control method, players will be able to inflict more damage on the boss character by challenging higher difficulty clone battles. In addition, the reward granting unit 122 may set the rewards for defeating clones to be more favorable to the player as the difficulty of the clone battle increases.

[0118] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system in which multiple clone battles are played sequentially. In this embodiment, it was explained that one type of clone battle is associated with one player for each battle. As a variation, multiple types of clone battles may be associated with one player for each battle.

[0119] In Figure 12, for the battle against the boss character BH, player P1 is associated with various clone battles EH1, EH2, EH3, etc. The difficulty of the clone battles increases in the order of EH1, EH2, and EH3. Initially, player P1 can only play clone battle EH1. If player P1 successfully defeats the clone in clone battle EH1, they can play the more difficult clone battle EH2. Furthermore, after clearing clone battle EH1, the related event control unit 128 only allows the player to play clone battle EH2 and prohibits them from attempting clone battle EH1 again.

[0120] Similarly, the clone battle EH3 becomes playable only after successfully defeating the clone in clone battle EH2. The related event control unit 128 prohibits retrying clone battle EH2 after it has been cleared. As player P1 continues to defeat the clone boss 162, their P character will grow stronger, and as the P character grows stronger, the clone battles will gradually become more difficult, thus providing player P1 with a fresh and exciting battle experience.

[0121] The difficulty levels of the clone battles EH1, EH2, and EH3 may be the same, or the content of the clone battles may differ in aspects other than difficulty. For example, clone boss 162 in clone battle EH1 may only perform normal attacks, clone boss 162 in clone battle EH2 may perform normal attacks in addition to special attack Q1 (e.g., fire attack), and clone boss 162 in clone battle ED3 may perform normal attacks, special attack Q1, and special attack Q2 (e.g., lightning attack). With this control method, player P1 can look forward to what kind of developments and presentations will be made in each new clone battle, so they can always approach the clone battles with a fresh feeling.

[0122] The reward granting unit 122 may offer different rewards for defeating the clones depending on the clone battle. Specifically, when a player clears clone battle EH1, the reward granting unit 122 may grant the player defeat reward R1, and when clone battle EH2 is cleared, it may grant the player defeat reward R2, which is more advantageous than defeat reward R1, or different from defeat reward R1. By diversifying the defeat rewards as the player continues to clear clone battles, the player's motivation to challenge the clone battles again can be stimulated.

[0123] In Figure 12, similarly, the battles against other boss characters BI are also associated with clone battles EI1, EI2, EI3, etc. Player P1 can challenge clone battle EI2 only after defeating clone boss 162 in clone battle EI1. Similarly, Player P1 will not be granted the right to challenge clone battle EI3 unless they clear clone battle EI2.

[0124] Player P1 can participate in battles against both boss characters BH and HI. Initially, Player P1 can challenge clone battles EH1 and EI1. Suppose Player P1 clears clone battle EH1. At this point, the related event control unit 128 may grant Player P1 the right to challenge not only clone battle EH2 but also clone battle EI2. More specifically, the difficulty levels of clone battles EH1, EH2, and EH3 are set to C level (low), B level (medium), and A level (high), respectively. Similarly, the difficulty levels of clone battles EI1, EI2, and EI3 are set to C level (low), B level (medium), and A level (high), respectively. In other words, the difficulty levels of clone battles EH1 and EI1, EH2 and EI2, and EH3 and EI3 correspond to each other. When the clone battle EH1(C) is cleared, it is assumed that player P1 has the ability to clear a C-level clone battle and also the ability to perform well in a B-level clone battle. At this time, the related event control unit 128 grants the player P1 the right to challenge not only the clone battle EI1(C) but also the clone battle EI2(B), which is considered to be of an appropriate difficulty level for player P1. With this control method, clearing the clone battle EH1(C) grants the player the right to challenge the clone battle EI2, so to speak, like "skipping a grade," thus freeing the player from the hassle of clearing the clone battle EI1(C), which is too easy and does not match their level.

[0125] In this embodiment, it was explained that one of four types of damage points is selected in the damage lottery. As a variation, the common event control unit 126 may randomly select one damage point from a predetermined range, for example, from 1,000 to 100,000.

[0126] The common event control unit 126 may change the damage lottery table according to the player's rank. Specifically, the common event control unit 126 may perform the damage lottery based on a lottery table in which rank A players (advanced players) are more likely to select larger damage points than rank B players (intermediate players). By increasing their rank, players can more easily contribute to the subjugation battle and more easily obtain subjugation rewards, thus stimulating their motivation to play Game X.

[0127] The common event control unit 126 may restore the boss character's main points over time. In other words, it may grant the boss character regeneration capabilities. In this case, players will need to concentrate their attacks on the boss character in a short period of time, which will encourage more players to participate in the battle against the clones.

[0128] In this embodiment, the objective of the subjugation battle (common event) was described as reducing the boss character's main points to zero. However, the objective of the common event is not limited to defeating the boss character and can be set arbitrarily. For example, players may play a shooting game (related event), and when the total score earned by multiple players reaches a predetermined threshold, the objective of the common event may be considered achieved. Alternatively, players may play an action game (related event), and when the cumulative game time by multiple players reaches a predetermined threshold, the objective of the common event may be considered achieved.

[0129] In this embodiment, battles in which a player is participating are distinguishable from battles in which the player is not participating by adding a participation mark 184 to the battle panel 176. However, the display unit 150 may distinguish between battles in which the player is participating and battles in which the player is not participating by differentiating the display order, size, color, etc., of the battle panel 176, rather than using only the participation mark 184.

[0130] In addition, the display unit 150 may display the battle panels 176 corresponding to the battles in a manner that allows for mutual identification of each other. The display unit 150 may also display battles in which the player has defeated the clone boss 162 and battles in which the player has not defeated the boss in a way that allows for identification of each other. The display unit 150 may also display battles in which the player has participated many times at the top of the list. The display unit 150 may also display battles in which the player is most likely to receive the MVP reward at the top of the list, or battles in which the remaining time until the boss character escapes is short at the top of the list. Alternatively, the display unit 150 may also display battles with fewer participants at the top of the list. A smaller number of participants is advantageous to the player in that it makes it easier to obtain battle rewards such as the MVP reward and the number of times a battle is played.

[0131] The display unit 150 may prioritize displaying battles with shorter gauge lengths, or it may display the battle panel 176 for battles with particularly short gauge lengths in a different color from the other battle panels 176. Furthermore, as described above, the display unit 150 may control the display order of the battle panels 176 according to the difficulty level of the battle or clone battle.

[0132] From the above description of embodiments and modifications, the following invention can be understood: A1. A common event control unit that generates a common event when predetermined event conditions are met by the first player, The system includes an associated event control unit that controls the progress of associated events associated with the common event for multiple players, including a second player, The common event control unit is an information processing device that updates the progress of the common event when the achievement conditions set in the related event by the second player are met, and does not update the progress if the achievement conditions are not met.

[0133] According to the invention described in A1, a common event can be advanced by a different second player fulfilling the achievement conditions in related events. Since the objective of advancing the common event is achieved by multiple players, including the second player, each fulfilling the achievement conditions in related events, a sense of solidarity based on the common event can be fostered among multiple players. Furthermore, because players can contribute to the progress of the common event by fulfilling the achievement conditions, it becomes easier for them to make their own contributions even when there is a difference in skill level between them and other players.

[0134] A2. The information processing device according to A1, further comprising a reward granting unit that grants a first reward to the first player when the progress of the common event reaches a predetermined value.

[0135] According to the invention described in A2, since players can obtain rewards by triggering common events, it is possible to increase the players' anticipation regarding whether or not the event conditions will occur.

[0136] A3. The information processing device according to A2, wherein the reward granting unit grants a second reward to a second player who has fulfilled the achievement conditions for a related event associated with the common event when the progress of the common event reaches a predetermined value.

[0137] According to the invention described in A3, players who have previously met the achievement conditions for related events may be eligible for rewards, making it easier to encourage players to actively participate in related events.

[0138] A4. The common event control unit is an information processing device according to any one of A1 to A3, which determines whether the event condition is met when the mission is achieved by the first player.

[0139] According to the invention described in A4, since the mission must be completed in order for the event conditions to be met, it becomes easier to motivate players to complete the mission.

[0140] A5. The related event control unit, when the event condition is met, sets the difficulty level of the related event associated with the common event according to the difficulty level predetermined for the mission achieved by the first player, as described in A4.

[0141] According to the invention described in A5, the difficulty of related events is set according to the difficulty of the mission, making it easier to set related events that match the player's level, for example. Also, if easier related events are set when a difficult mission is completed, it becomes easier to stimulate the desire to challenge difficult missions.

[0142] A6. The second player is a player that has a predetermined relationship with the first player, The information processing device according to any one of A1 to A5, wherein the related event control unit permits the second player to play the related event associated with the common event in the first role, and permits the third player, who is not related to the first player, to play the related event in the second role.

[0143] According to the invention described in A6, even a third player who has not established a "predetermined relationship" with the first player can participate in a common event based on the first player through the second player as an intermediary, thus flexibly expanding the opportunities for players to participate in common events.

[0144] A7. Further comprising a display unit that shows the player a selection screen for the relevant event to be played, The information processing device according to A4, wherein the display unit displays related events that the second player has played and related events that the second player has not played in a manner that is identifiable to the second player.

[0145] According to the invention described in A7, players can more easily identify committed related events or related events that offer a higher chance of rewards.

[0146] A8. The related event control unit, when the second player plays a related event associated with the common event in a multiplayer manner, allows the third player, who participated in the second player's multiplayer in the second role, to play the related event in the first role after the multiplayer of the related event, as described in A6.

[0147] According to the invention described in A8, a third player can participate in the same common event role with their first role by participating in the related event with their second role, thereby increasing the desire to participate in multiplayer. It is also effective in increasing the number of applicants when recruiting participants for multiplayer.

[0148] A9. Further comprising a display unit that shows the player a selection screen for the relevant event to be played, The display unit changes the display priority of multiple related events corresponding to multiple common events generated by players other than the second player, based on the play history of the second player, as described in any of A1 to A8.

[0149] According to the invention described in A9, it becomes easier to select relevant events that are appropriate for the player based on the player's play history.

[0150] A10. The information processing device according to any one of A1 to A9, wherein the common event control unit updates the progress of the common event associated with the related event based on an update level selected from a plurality of update levels when the achievement conditions of the related event are met by any of the plurality of players.

[0151] According to the invention described in A10, when a player fulfills the conditions for completing a related event, their contribution to the common event is determined based on the selection of the update level, thus ensuring that even beginners have a significant opportunity to contribute to the common event.

[0152] A11. Further comprising a display unit that shows the player a selection screen for the relevant event to be played, The aforementioned common event is associated with multiple related events of varying difficulty levels. The display unit displays the plurality of related events along with their difficulty levels on the selection screen, as described in any of A1 to A10.

[0153] According to the invention described in A11, by varying the difficulty level of related events, diversity is added to the related events, and players can more easily choose related events with a difficulty level that suits them.

[0154] A12. The information processing device according to any one of A1 to A11, wherein the related event control unit sets related events that the second player can play according to the rank of the second player.

[0155] According to the invention described in A12, it becomes easier to select and limit relevant events that are appropriate for the player, depending on the player's rank, or in other words, the player's skill level.

[0156] A13. The information processing device according to A12, wherein the related event control unit executes a battle game with an enemy character as a related event associated with a common event, and makes the attribute value of the first enemy character in the first related event associated with the common event different from the attribute value of the first enemy character in the second related event associated with the common event.

[0157] According to the invention described in A13, by making the attribute values ​​of enemy characters different for each related event, it is possible to bring diversity to related events.

[0158] A14. The information processing device according to A12 or A13, wherein the common event control unit updates the progress of the common event at different update rates depending on the difficulty level of the related event when the achievement conditions of the related event are met by the second player.

[0159] According to the invention described in A14, for example, it becomes possible to control the process so that clearing a difficult related event brings the player significantly closer to achieving the objective of a common event, thereby increasing the motivation to take on difficult related events.

[0160] A15. The information processing device according to any one of A12 to A14, wherein the related event control unit permits the second player to play the second related event associated with the first common event when the second player has fulfilled the achievement conditions for the first related event associated with the first common event.

[0161] According to the invention described in A15, the second related event cannot be played unless the achievement conditions of the first related event are met, which makes it easier to motivate the player to meet the achievement conditions of the first related event. In addition, because the system involves playing multiple related events sequentially, it is possible to create a sense of anticipation for the content of the new related events in the player.

[0162] A16. The second related event associated with the first common event is set to a higher difficulty level than the first related event. The second common event is associated with a third related event, and a fourth related event that is set to be of a higher difficulty than the aforementioned third related event. The related event control unit, upon the second player fulfilling the conditions for completing the third related event, permits the second player to play the fourth related event, and The information processing device according to A15, which, when the second player has met the conditions for achieving the first related event, allows the second player to play the fourth related event even if the second player has not met the conditions for achieving the third related event.

[0163] According to the invention described in A16, in multiple common events, by granting the right to challenge a second common event from an appropriate related event based on the play history related to the first common event, the player is freed from the hassle of dealing with a third related event that does not match their level.

[0164] A17. The computer triggers a common event when a predetermined event condition is met by the first player. The computer controls the progress of related events associated with the common event for each of the multiple players, including the second player. An information processing method in which a computer updates the progress of a common event when the achievement conditions set in the related event by the second player are met, and does not update the progress if the achievement conditions are not met.

[0165] According to the invention described in A17, the same effects as the invention described in A1 can be achieved.

[0166] A18. A function that triggers a common event when the first player meets the specified event conditions, A function to control the progress of related events associated with the common event for each of multiple players, including a second player, A program that causes a computer to perform the following functions: updating the progress of the common event when the achievement conditions set in the related event are met by the second player, and not updating the progress if the achievement conditions are not met.

[0167] According to the invention described in A18, the same effects as the invention described in A1 can be achieved. [Explanation of symbols]

[0168] 100 Game Server, 102 Game Terminal, 106 Internet, 110 Data Processing Unit, 112 Communication Unit, 114 Data Storage Unit, 116 Player Registration Unit, 120 Normal Quest Control Unit, 122 Bonus Granting Unit, 124 Game Control Unit, 126 Common Event Control Unit, 128 Related Event Control Unit, 130 Game Data Storage Unit, 132 Player Data Storage Unit, 134 Communication Unit, 136 User Interface Processing Unit, 138 Data Processing Unit, 140 Data Storage Unit, 142 Input Unit, 144 Output Unit, 146 Game Execution Unit, 150 Display Unit, 152 Friend Management Unit, 162 Clone Boss, 170 Participation Selection Screen, 172 HP Indicator, 174 Challenge Button, 176 Extermination Battle Panel, 178 Self-discovery area, 180 Other-discovery area, 182 Scroll bar, 184 Participation mark, 200 Game system, 300 Processor, 302 First bus, 304 Memory, 308 Bridge, 310 Second bus, 312 Storage, 314 Input devices, 316 Output devices, 318 Peripherals

Claims

1. A common event control unit that generates a common event when predetermined event conditions are met by the first player, The system includes an associated event control unit that controls the progress of associated events associated with the common event for multiple players, including a second player, The common event control unit is an information processing device that updates the progress of the common event when the achievement conditions set in the related event by the second player are met, and does not update the progress if the achievement conditions are not met.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a reward granting unit that grants a first reward to the first player when the progress of the common event reaches a predetermined value.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the reward granting unit further grants a second reward to a second player who has fulfilled the achievement conditions of a related event associated with the common event when the progress of the common event reaches a predetermined value.

4. The common event control unit determines whether the event condition is met when the mission is achieved by the first player, as described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein when the event condition is met, the related event control unit sets the difficulty level of the related event associated with the common event according to the difficulty level predetermined for the mission achieved by the first player.

6. The second player is a player that has a predetermined relationship with the first player, The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the related event control unit permits the second player to play the related event associated with the common event in a first role, and permits a third player, who is not related to the first player, to play the related event in a second role.

7. It further includes a display unit that shows the player a selection screen for the relevant event to play, The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the display unit displays related events that the second player has played and related events that the second player has not played in a manner that is identifiable to the second player.

8. The information processing device according to claim 6, wherein the related event control unit, when the second player plays a related event associated with the common event in a multiplayer manner, allows the third player, who participated in the multiplayer by the second player in the second role, to play the related event in the first role after the multiplayer of the related event.

9. It further includes a display unit that shows the player a selection screen for the relevant event to play, The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the display unit changes the display priority of a plurality of related events corresponding to a plurality of common events generated by players other than the second player, based on the play history of the second player.

10. The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the common event control unit updates the progress of the common event associated with the related event based on an update level selected from a plurality of update levels when the achievement conditions of the related event are met by any of the plurality of players.

11. It further includes a display unit that shows the player a selection screen for the relevant event to play, The aforementioned common event is associated with multiple related events of varying difficulty levels. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the display unit displays the plurality of related events along with their difficulty levels on the selection screen.

12. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the related event control unit sets related events that the second player can play according to the rank of the second player.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the related event control unit executes a battle game with an enemy character as a related event associated with a common event, and makes the attribute value of the first enemy character in the first related event associated with the common event different from the attribute value of the first enemy character in the second related event associated with the common event.

14. The information processing device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the common event control unit updates the progress of the common event at different update rates depending on the difficulty level of the related event when the achievement conditions of the related event are met by the second player.

15. The information processing device according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the related event control unit, triggered by the second player fulfilling the achievement conditions of the first related event associated with the first common event, allows the second player to play the second related event associated with the first common event.

16. The second related event associated with the first common event is set to a higher difficulty level than the first related event. The second common event is associated with a third related event and a fourth related event that is set to be of a higher difficulty than the third related event. The related event control unit, upon the second player fulfilling the achievement conditions for the third related event, permits the second player to play the fourth related event, and The information processing device according to claim 15, wherein when the second player has met the achievement conditions for the first related event, the device allows the second player to play the fourth related event, even if the second player has not met the achievement conditions for the third related event.

17. The computer triggers a common event when a predetermined event condition is met by the first player. The computer controls the progress of related events associated with the common event for each of the multiple players, including the second player. An information processing method in which a computer updates the progress of a common event when the achievement conditions set in the related event by the second player are met, and does not update the progress if the achievement conditions are not met.

18. A function that triggers a common event when predetermined event conditions are met by the first player, A function to control the progress of related events associated with the common event for each of multiple players, including a second player, A program that causes a computer to perform the following functions: updating the progress of the common event when the achievement conditions set in the related event are met by the second player, and not updating the progress if the achievement conditions are not met.

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