Programs, game devices, display media, and game systems

Abstract

This makes it easier to adjust the game progression to match the user's intended direction. [Solution] A program that causes a computer running a game to execute an acquisition process for acquiring a code and a display control process for controlling the display of an image on a display device, wherein the game is a game in which the appearance of a target character changes as it progresses, and the game is provided with opportunities to acquire multiple modification elements that are involved in changing the appearance, and the display control process, on the condition that a code has been acquired, causes the display device to display a combination image that includes as an image element at least one combination of modification elements that makes the appearance of the target character a predetermined appearance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a program, a game device, a display medium, and a game system, and more particularly to an electronic game in which the appearance of a character changes during progress.

Background Art

[0002] In a breeding game for breeding characters, there is a game device that determines the form in which a target character grows from a predetermined form of branching based on parameters that change according to operation inputs related to breeding (Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in a game device such as Patent Document 1, since parameters for determining the form after growth are managed as internal information, it is difficult to推测 how a character grows, and it is difficult to realize the game progress intended by the user.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a program, a game device, a display medium, and a game system that facilitate adjustment to the game progress intended by the user.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a program that causes a computer running a game to perform an acquisition process to acquire a code and a display control process to control the display of an image on a display device, wherein the game is a game in which the appearance of a target character changes as it progresses, and the game is provided with opportunities to acquire a plurality of modification elements that are involved in changing the appearance, and the display control process, on the condition that a code has been acquired, causes the display device to display a combination image that includes as an image element at least one combination of modification elements that makes the appearance of the target character a predetermined appearance. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to easily adjust the game progression to match the user's intended outcome. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A diagram illustrating the external configuration of a game device 100 according to embodiments and modified examples of the present invention. [Figure 2] Block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a game device 100 according to embodiments and modified examples of the present invention. [Figure 3] This figure illustrates a screen showing the confirmation of the acquisition status icon for a target character according to embodiments and modifications of the present invention. [Figure 4] A diagram illustrating the evolutionary branching of a target character in an evolutionary game according to embodiments and modifications of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure illustrating a display medium according to embodiments and modified examples of the present invention. [Figure 6] A diagram illustrating the display of a sample image obtained during code input according to embodiments and modified examples of the present invention. [Figure 7] A diagram illustrating an illustrated menu relating to embodiments and modifications of the present invention. [Figure 8] A diagram illustrating the first menu item in an illustrated menu according to embodiments and modifications of the present invention. [Figure 9] A diagram illustrating the second menu in the illustrated menu according to embodiments and modifications of the present invention. [Figure 10] A flowchart illustrating the storage process performed in a game device 100 according to embodiments and modifications of the present invention. [Figure 11] A flowchart illustrating the display control processing performed in a game device 100 according to embodiments and modifications of the present invention. [Figure 12] A diagram illustrating an example of the data configuration referenced in a game device 100 according to embodiments and modifications of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] [Embodiment] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be combined in any way. Furthermore, identical or similar configurations will be given the same reference numeral, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0010] One embodiment described below illustrates an example of applying the present invention to a game device that, as an example of a game device, is capable of running a game in which the appearance of a character changes as the game progresses; that is, a game in which at least one target character exists and the appearance of the target character changes as the game progresses. However, the present invention is applicable to any device capable of running an electronic game featuring multiple types of characters with different appearances. In other words, it goes without saying that the electronic games to which the present invention is applied are not limited to a specific genre of game such as evolutionary games.

[0011] The game exemplified in this embodiment is configured to provide the user with an interesting experience of growing a target character while sequentially changing its appearance to different ones. For example, it may be configured such that the appearance after growth changes depending on how the user takes care of the target character. Hereinafter, the game exemplified in this embodiment will be referred to as an "evolution game" from the viewpoint that the appearance evolves as the target character grows.

[0012] 《Configuration of Game Device》 FIG. 1 illustrates the external configuration of the game device 100 of this embodiment. In this embodiment, the game device 100 is configured in the form of a portable toy and operates using power supplied from a battery or dry battery (not shown). In the mode of operating with a battery, the game device 100 is provided with a terminal (not shown) that can be connected to a power source, and a commercial power source or the like is electrically connected to the terminal via a power supply cable so that the battery can be charged.

[0013] 〈Hardware Configuration of Game Device〉 Subsequently, the hardware configuration of the game device 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of the game device 100.

[0014] The control unit 101 is a processor such as a CPU, and performs various controls including the operation control of each hardware included in the game device 100. Specifically, the control unit 101 reads out a necessary program stored in the storage device 102, expands it in the memory 103, and executes it to perform the corresponding control. Also, the control unit 101 has a built-in clock and is configured to be able to acquire the current time.

[0015] The storage device 102 is a device capable of storing permanent information, such as a non-volatile memory. The storage device 102 stores information on parameters necessary for realizing various controls, in addition to programs related to the operation of the game device 100 and programs of the evolution game executed in the game device 100. In addition, the storage device 102 also functions as a database (character DB 121) for various data related to the evolution game. The memory 103 is a storage device used for temporary data storage, such as a volatile memory. The memory 103 may be used not only as a deployment area for each program but also as a storage area for temporarily storing data output during the operation of various hardware and various controls.

[0016] The character DB 121 is a database that manages information (character information) on characters that can be nurtured in the evolution game as records. In the evolution game executed in the game device 100 of the present embodiment, the user can nurture a character that grows through a plurality of growth stages. The character is configured such that its appearance differs each time the growth stage changes. The character DB 121 manages various information as records for each appearance that the character can take at each growth stage. The character information related to one record is associated with a character ID 1201 that uniquely identifies the character (appearance), for example, as shown in FIG. 12, and includes graphics information 1202 for drawing the appearance of the character, a growth stage 1203 indicating the growth stage at which the character takes on the appearance, and growth destination information 1204 indicating the appearance from which the character can grow into the appearance. The growth destination information 904 may store the information of the corresponding character ID 1201.

[0017] The display control device 104 performs display control to display various screens related to the evolution game on the display 110. In this embodiment, the display control device 104 also includes a drawing device such as a graphics chip or GPU, and performs drawing processing to generate various screens related to the evolution game. The display control device 104 includes a drawing memory (not shown), and expands various graphics data read from the storage device 102, performs predetermined calculations, and generates various images (screens) related to the evolution game. The screens and images generated by the display control device 104 are presented to the user by being displayed on, for example, the display 110 provided by the game device 100. The display 110 is an information display device provided by the game device 100, such as a liquid crystal display.

[0018] The communication interface 106 is a communication interface between the game device 100 and external devices. As described above, the game device 100 of this embodiment is equipped with connection terminals (not shown), and by connecting these connection terminals together, it is configured to enable information communication with other game devices 100.

[0019] The operation I / F 105 is a user interface that receives operation inputs from the game device 100. When the operation I / F 105 detects that an operation input has been made, it outputs a control signal corresponding to the operation input to the control unit 101. In a configuration in which the display 110 is capable of detecting touch input, the operation I / F 105 may include a touch input detection sensor provided on the display 110. In addition, the operation I / F 105 may include various operating members provided on the exterior of the game device 100, for example.

[0020] Game Overview The following describes the outline of the game provided by the game device 100 of this embodiment. In this embodiment, the game is described as an evolution game that provides at least an element of raising a target character as an entertainment element. However, an evolution game is merely one form of a game in which multiple types of characters with different appearances appear, and the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention is applicable to any game in which multiple types of characters with different appearances appear.

[0021] In evolution games, users can raise a character by performing actions related to caring for that character. Evolution games begin, for example, by hatching an egg, and by performing the necessary care actions in sequence, the character progresses through different stages of growth (progression), showing how the character grows while changing its appearance. Growth stages are concepts that refer to each of the stages in which the growth process (period) of the character in an evolution game is separated (e.g., egg stage (pre-birth), baby stage (infancy), kids stage (early childhood), young adult stage (adolescence), adult stage (maturity)), and progress is made when certain conditions, such as the amount of time spent raising the character, are met.

[0022] Here, each character at each growth stage is configured to display a predetermined appearance for that growth stage. In other words, in the evolution game of this embodiment, the appearances that the target character can take at each growth stage are predetermined, and the character will grow into which it has a predetermined appearance depending on, for example, the egg that is selected and the care it has received up to that growth stage. As described above, the appearance of the character is defined as graphics information 902 in the character information registered in the character DB 121. In short, the evolution game is configured so that as the growth of the target character progresses, the appearance of the target character changes to one of several predetermined appearances.

[0023] Each of the multiple predefined appearances that a character can take on in the evolution game has a unique name, and each appearance can be considered as a separate character with its own name. In other words, each character that can appear in the evolution game has a unique name, and the change in appearance due to a character's growth can be seen as evolution from character A (name) before growth to character B (name) after growth. Users can repeatedly play the evolution game with the character that hatches from an egg, for example, by obtaining a new egg, and in the process, the character can "evolve into a specific character." For this reason, in the following explanation, "the change in the appearance of a character to that of a specific character" may simply be referred to as "evolving into a specific character."

[0024] In evolution games, the way a character's appearance changes during its growth stages is designed to ensure strategic gameplay, with a defined evolutionary lineage that ensures that under the same conditions, repeated gameplay will result in the character evolving to the same appearance. That is, information about which character's appearance a target character will take on through evolution is defined as an "evolutionary branch" for each character at any given growth stage. In this embodiment of evolution games, for each character defined from the baby stage to the young adult stage, one or more evolutionary characters with appearance changes are defined.

[0025] For example, in the baby stage, the target character will have the same appearance in every run of the evolution game, but multiple types (e.g., 3 types) of characters are defined as branching paths from that character for evolution to the kids stage, and furthermore, multiple types of characters are individually defined as branching paths for evolution to the young stage for each of those characters. In this case, characters A1, A2, A3, and A4, which are defined as the (young stage) growth destinations of character A defined in the kids stage, are characters that evolve on the condition that the target character was character A in the kids stage, and are configured so that if the target character was character B in the kids stage, it cannot evolve into these characters A1 to A4.

[0026] On the other hand, in this configuration, if a user intentionally desires to evolve a character into a specific one, the user needs to identify the evolutionary lineage and evolution conditions through repeated gameplay and adjust the progress of the evolution game to achieve a similar state. However, it has been difficult to determine how the actions taken by the user at each stage of growth (e.g., during growth stages or when events occur) are evaluated, and as a result, which evolution conditions are met for the target character, leading to its evolution into a specific character.

[0027] Therefore, in the evolution game of this embodiment, the user is able to understand how the change elements involved in changing the appearance of the target character are acquired during the evolution game. In other words, in the evolution game of this embodiment, the appearance is changed based on the change elements acquired and accumulated for the target character, and a function is provided that allows the user to check the accumulation status of these change elements at any time.

[0028] This function is provided using a confirmation screen 300, as illustrated in Figure 3, which can be accessed from the game screen by a predetermined input. The confirmation screen 300 schematically shows the inside of a cell that makes up the target character, with a cell nucleus 301 in the center, and around it, the accumulated modification elements for the target character are distributed in the form of icons 302 as image elements. Therefore, by displaying the confirmation screen 300, the user can check the currently accumulated modification elements for the target character at any time. Since each modification element can be checked in the form of an icon 302, in the following explanation, "the accumulation of modification elements for the target character" may be referred to as "icons accumulating" or "icons becoming available."

[0029] Therefore, the evolution game of this embodiment is configured such that, during the process, opportunities to acquire various icons are provided, and in determining which character to evolve into in the next growth stage, information from the accumulated icon group for the target character is referenced. That is, the appearance of the target character after evolution is determined based on the various icon groups accumulated for the target character.

[0030] <Accumulation of various icons> The following describes the various icons accumulated in the evolution game of this embodiment. The evolution game has multiple types of icons, and the method of obtaining each type is set differently. Furthermore, each type of icon may have variations, and it is possible to accumulate multiple types of icons simultaneously.

[0031] The number of each type of icon acquired changes depending on the value of the corresponding type parameter (hereinafter referred to as the type parameter) that is managed in association with the target character. Therefore, by performing operations to increase the relevant type parameter, the user can adjust the number of icons accumulated for the target character by repeatedly associating the type parameter with the target character or increasing the value of the associated type parameter.

[0032] The details of the various icons used in the evolution game are explained below.

[0033] (Attribute icon) Attribute icons are icons accumulated based on environmental attributes associated with the environment (area) in the evolution game. In this embodiment of the evolution game, there are three types of areas with attributes (plains, beaches, and highlands): land, water, and air. When a target character is placed in an area by user interaction, attribute parameters corresponding to the environmental attributes of that area are associated with the target character.

[0034] For example, the system is configured so that for every minute that a target character is placed in an area, the attribute parameter related to the area's environmental attribute is increased by 1. Then, every time the attribute parameter related to a single environmental attribute reaches a multiple of 15, one attribute icon for that environmental attribute is accumulated for the target character. The maximum value of the attribute parameters managed for each environmental attribute is set to 60, and up to four attribute icons can be accumulated for each type of environmental attribute. A total of 10 attribute icons can be accumulated, and when the acquisition status of attribute icons exceeds 10, the acquisition status of the attribute icon with the longest accumulated time is released, and a new attribute icon is accumulated.

[0035] In the evolution game of this embodiment, attribute icons are configured to accumulate when the target character is in the baby and kid stages. The fact that attribute icons accumulate when the target character stays in the area where they are placed for a long time can be used to depict the target character becoming familiar with and adapting to the environment in which they spent much of their baby and kid stages. Therefore, in the evolution game of this embodiment, when the growth stage progresses to the kid stage, the target character evolves into a character associated with the environmental attribute of the environment in which they stayed for a long time. In other words, the target character evolves into a character of the species of the area in which they spent a long time from the baby to kid stage. Here, species is a concept that determines the area in which the target character lives in the subsequent young and adult stages and defines the direction of the target character's evolution. That is, the branching of evolutionary paths from the baby to kid stage is provided according to the type of environmental attribute, as shown in Figure 4.

[0036] Therefore, during the baby stage, the target character is configured to evolve into a character of the corresponding species when four attribute icons related to the same environmental attribute are accumulated. When four attribute icons related to the same environmental attribute are accumulated, an evolution call is generated to inform the user that evolution is possible, and the target character evolves into a character of the corresponding species during the kids stage, provided that an operation input related to evolution is made in response to this call. When the character evolves into a character of a specific species during the kids stage, attribute parameters related to other environmental attributes are reset (their values ​​are set to 0) so that the evolution conditions become clear on the confirmation screen 300. Consequently, the acquisition status of attribute icons related to that environmental attribute is also canceled.

[0037] If no input is made regarding the evolution command in response to an evolution call, it will be determined that the user does not wish to evolve into the species associated with that environmental attribute, and the attribute parameters related to that environmental attribute will be reset, and the acquisition status of the attribute icon related to that environmental attribute will be removed.

[0038] On the other hand, if the user's actions during the baby stage determine the direction of the character's subsequent evolution, it could diminish the user's interest in the evolution game. In particular, if a time limit is imposed during the baby stage, even if the user takes actions to obtain attribute icons related to the desired environmental attributes, they may not be able to complete the task within the time limit, and the character may not evolve into the desired species when it reaches the kid stage.

[0039] Therefore, in the game of this embodiment, attribute parameters and attribute icons are configured to accumulate under the same conditions in the Kid stage as in the Baby stage. As a result, if in the Kid stage the attribute parameter for an environmental attribute different from the current target character reaches 60 and four attribute icons related to that environmental attribute are obtained, the target character may be configured to change into a character of that environmental attribute within the Kid stage. For example, if the target character is in the Kid stage and the attribute parameter for the Land attribute is 60, and the target character is placed in a Water attribute area and the attribute parameter for the Water attribute subsequently reaches 60, the game may determine that the user desires to change into a character of a different species, and the target character's species may be changed to the Water attribute, changing its appearance. At this time, since an appearance change related to the species change occurs, an evolution call may be performed as in the Baby stage. Also, if a species change occurs during the Kid stage, the attribute parameters related to the previous environmental attribute are reset so that the evolution conditions become clear on the confirmation screen 300. Accordingly, the acquisition status of attribute icons related to that environmental attribute is also reset.

[0040] (Local product icon) From the Kids stage onward, it becomes possible to accumulate local specialty icons. Local specialty icons are accumulated by giving the target character food items (local specialties) that are related to the target character's race, that is, related to the environmental attributes corresponding to that race.

[0041] Here, the provision of food items to the target character is configured to be possible at any time using the meal-related functions. In this evolution game, in addition to the normal food items that can be purchased / obtained initially, players can also obtain materials (special products) that can be gathered in areas specific to those areas during the evolution game. In other words, special products are one form of food item that can be provided to the target character.

[0042] Multiple types of specialty products are available in each area with its respective environmental attribute. Specifically, each area has multiple types of specialty products corresponding to its environmental attribute. Each specialty product is associated with a unique specialty product attribute. When a specialty product is assigned to a character, the attribute parameters corresponding to the specialty product's attribute become associated with that character.

[0043] For example, when an input is made to grant a local specialty as a food item to a target character, the local specialty parameter related to the local specialty attribute of that local specialty is increased by a number unique to that local specialty. When the local specialty parameter related to one local specialty attribute reaches 5, one local specialty icon for that local specialty attribute is accumulated for the target character. The maximum value of the local specialty parameter managed for each local specialty attribute is also set to 5. When one local specialty icon is accumulated, only the local specialty parameter is reset, and when an input is made to grant the local specialty of the same local specialty attribute again, the local specialty parameter increases again from 0. A total of 4 local specialty icons can be accumulated, and when the acquisition status of local specialty icons exceeds 4, the acquisition status of the local specialty icon with the longest accumulated time is released, and a new local specialty icon is accumulated.

[0044] As mentioned above, there are multiple types of specialty products for each environmental attribute; therefore, specialty product attributes are established as sub-attributes of environmental attributes. In other words, the specialty product attributes associated with a specialty product are linked to one of the environmental attributes.

[0045] Specialty product parameters are accumulated during the Kids stage and referenced to determine the evolution path of the target character during the Young stage. More specifically, among the characters that can evolve from the target character's species during the Kids stage, the character evolves into the character associated with the specialty product attribute corresponding to the most frequently acquired specialty product icon.

[0046] As shown in Figure 4, the evolution from the Kid stage to the Young stage is set up differently for each species of character in the Kid stage (it occurs within the same species). Therefore, even if a character that cannot evolve is given a special item attribute, it will not contribute to the favorable progress of the evolution game. Accordingly, special items that can be given to a target character in the Kid stage to change the special item parameter or the number of accumulated special item icons are limited to those that correspond to the target character's species (environmental attribute). In other words, special item attributes that bring about a change in the target character's special item parameter are limited to those that correspond to the target character's species, that is, environmental attributes with an attribute parameter of 60 or more, or with 4 attribute icons.

[0047] In other words, in the evolution game of this embodiment, the type parameters involved in the evolution of the target character to the young stage include at least attribute parameters and specialty product parameters. When an operation input is made to associate a specialty product parameter (an operation input to assign a specialty product as a food item), the value of the specialty product parameter increases, provided that an attribute icon corresponding to the specialty product parameter, i.e., an attribute icon related to the same environmental attribute as the specialty product parameter, has already been associated with and accumulated for the target character.

[0048] Furthermore, the Kids stage is limited in duration, and in order to achieve the desired appearance for the Young Stage character, it is necessary to adjust the acquisition status of local specialty icons during the Kids stage. Therefore, to make it easier to obtain the desired local specialty icons (reducing the effort of repeatedly applying local specialty items), the application of local specialty items can be replaced with the application of "Local Specialty Rice," a food item generated using local specialty items as ingredients. Local Specialty Rice is set to increase the corresponding local specialty parameter more than applying the local specialty items used as ingredients directly to the target character. In other words, Local Specialty Rice, which is obtained using multiple local specialty items as ingredients, is designed to provide a greater increase in local specialty parameters than applying each of the local specialty items used as ingredients individually.

[0049] In the evolution game of this embodiment, the Kid stage ends after a fixed amount of time and switches to the Young stage. The character to evolve into in the Young stage is determined based on the specialty product icons accumulated at the time of this switch. In one embodiment, unlike the character (species) to evolve into in the Kid stage, the character to evolve into in the Young stage is determined based on whether or not there is a bias in the accumulated specialty product icons. For example, if the target character is a land-attribute species in the Kid stage, the character to evolve into is determined based on the amount of accumulated specialty product icons related to multiple types of specialty product attributes associated with the land attribute. More specifically, in an embodiment where three types of specialty product attributes A to C are provided in relation to the land attribute, if the number of accumulated specialty product icons related to any one of the specialty product attributes is greater than the number of accumulated specialty product icons related to the other two specialty product attributes, that is, if the number of accumulated specialty product icons related to that one specialty product attribute is the largest by itself, the character to evolve into in the Young stage will be the character specified for that one specialty product attribute. On the other hand, if there is no single specialty product icon with the highest accumulated count, a fourth character related to the land attribute, different from the characters defined for specialty product attributes A to C, will be determined as the character that evolves during the young stage.

[0050] (Event-related icons) In addition, in the evolution game, events occur randomly for the target character. When an event occurs, the user is notified, and the user must perform the corresponding action within a specified time after receiving the notification. Furthermore, events may also be triggered based on user input.

[0051] An event is configured so that its success or failure is determined based on the user's input in connection with its occurrence. Each event has predetermined conditions for determining whether the input was successful, such as the type of input (or the type of item selected by the input) and the elapsed time between the event occurring and the input being made. If the input satisfies the success conditions, the event is judged as successful; if the input does not satisfy the success conditions, or if no input is made in response to the event, the event is judged as a failure.

[0052] Events are structured to occur, for example, during the childhood and young adult stages. Event-related icons are accumulated based on the success or failure of events that occur for the target character. In this embodiment of the evolution game, there are three types of icons: a care mistake icon, a full stomach icon, and a happy mood icon. Similar to the attribute icons and specialty product icons mentioned above, each of these icons has a corresponding type parameter that is managed, and the number of accumulated icons is determined based on that type parameter.

[0053] The type parameters related to event-related icons include those that increase upon event success and those that increase upon event failure. The former includes, for example, the satiety parameter, which increases when a food item is given in response to an event indicating the target character is hungry, and the mood parameter, which increases when a suitable response is given to an event in which the target character calls out to the user (hereinafter referred to as a care event). The latter includes, for example, the number of mistakes parameter, which increases when a suitable response is not given to a care event.

[0054] The satiety parameter is configured such that when a food item is given to the target character, the value set for that food item is added, and the value decreases sequentially over time. The satiety parameter has an upper limit, and when the value of the specialty item parameter reaches the upper limit, one "Max Stomach" icon is accumulated. In addition, in order to ensure the visibility of the various icons on the confirmation screen 300, there may be an upper limit on the number of "Max Stomach" icons that can be accumulated.

[0055] The mood parameter is configured to increase by a predetermined value when an operation input related to a care event is deemed successful, and to decrease sequentially over time. The mood parameter has an upper limit, and when the mood parameter value reaches the upper limit, one "Max Mood" icon is accumulated. In addition, to ensure the visibility of the various icons on the confirmation screen 300, there may be an upper limit on the number of "Max Mood" icons that can be accumulated.

[0056] In contrast, the error count parameter is configured to be incremented by 1 when an operation input related to a care event is judged to be a failure. In this embodiment, one care error icon is accumulated each time the error count parameter related to an event is incremented by 1. Furthermore, in order to ensure the visibility of the various icons on the confirmation screen 300, an upper limit may be set on the number of accumulated care error icons.

[0057] The various event-related icons accumulated in this way are stored throughout the Kids and Young Adult stages and are referenced to determine the evolution path of the target character in the Adult stage. In the evolution game of this embodiment, the character that evolves into in the Adult stage is determined based on the number of at least one of the Care Mistake icons, Hunger MAX icons, and Happy MAX icons accumulated for the target character.

[0058] Regarding which character a character will evolve into during the adult stage, a requirement is set for the number of various event-related icons that need to be accumulated for evolution, for each character that can be taken during the young stage. Therefore, which character a target character will evolve into during the adult stage is determined from among the characters whose requirements are met. Here, the requirements are basically set so that only one requirement is met, but they may be configured so that multiple requirements can be met. In that case, from among the multiple requirements that are met, the character corresponding to one requirement is determined as the evolved character based on a predetermined rule.

[0059] For example, consider the case shown in Figure 4, where the evolution conditions for character X in the adult stage are defined as "0 Care Mistake icons, 5 or more Hungry Max icons, and 5 or more Happy Max icons," which are possible to evolve from a character with the Land attribute and Specialty Product attribute A during the Young stage. In this case, when the Young stage completion conditions are met, the Care Mistake icons and Happy Max icons will meet the specified number requirements, but if there are only 3 Hungry Max icons, the evolution condition will not be met. On the other hand, for character Y in the adult stage, the only evolution condition defined is "0 to 1 Care Mistake icon," so this condition is met, and the target character evolves into character Y in the adult stage.

[0060] Thus, in the evolution game of this embodiment, the user can check the status of various type parameters at any time through the appearance of icons during the growth process of the target character, making it easier for the user to predict the evolution conditions and providing a more enjoyable experience related to game strategy. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the period for accepting operation inputs (operation inputs related to the association of various type parameters) to acquire each type of icon is set in accordance with the growth stage of the target character, making it easier to predict the evolution conditions. Specifically, the period for accumulating attribute icons is set to the baby stage to the kids stage, the period for accumulating specialty product icons is set to the kids stage, and the period for accumulating various event-related icons is set to the kids stage to the young adult stage. As a result, the periods for increasing or decreasing the number of the corresponding icons differ, making it easier for the user to predict which icons are involved in the evolution related to which growth stage, and what kind of operation inputs can be performed at each growth stage to adjust the increase or decrease in the number of accumulated icons.

[0061] [Display of sample image] By the way, even though the confirmation screen 300 allows users to see the icon indicating the current acquisition status of a character, for some characters, such as characters that evolve under complex conditions or characters that are difficult to evolve using typical evolution gameplay methods, it may be difficult for the user to guess the evolution conditions.

[0062] Therefore, for at least some of the appearances of the multiple character appearances that appear in the evolution game, an image showing the accumulation distribution of icons that lead to evolution into that appearance (hereinafter referred to as the acquisition sample image) may be displayed on the display 110. The acquisition sample image is not configured to be displayed by default in the evolution game, but rather it can be configured to be displayed only when a corresponding code is distributed and the code is entered into the game device 100. The characters for which the acquisition sample image is provided are basically assumed to be adult characters, which tend to have a large number and variety of icons acquired during the process leading up to evolution. Accordingly, the code is provided for some of the appearances of characters that can appear in the evolution game.

[0063] The codes may be distributed, for example, using printed materials such as stickers or cards on which the codes are printed. In this case, since the code itself consists of numbers, letters (or characters such as hiragana or katakana), and symbols, and the user cannot know which character sample image they can view, the printed material may also have images of the corresponding characters printed on it, as shown in Figure 5.

[0064] In this embodiment, the code is described as being provided to the user by printing it on a printed medium such as a sticker or card, but the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, instead of printing, the code or character image may be displayed on a display unit provided on a display medium equipped with a display device.

[0065] Figure 6 shows an example of the display transitions from entering a code to displaying a sample image for a character with a predetermined appearance (hereinafter referred to as a sample character).

[0066] When a code is entered on a code input screen (not shown), the code's integrity is checked. If the code matches a code assigned to any character, the function to display the corresponding sample image is unlocked. Once the sample character corresponding to the entered code is identified, a character image showing the appearance of that sample character, as shown in Figure 6(a), is displayed on the display 110 to indicate that a sample image of that character's appearance is now available. Subsequently, for example, if a predetermined operation input is performed, a sample image related to that sample character, as shown in Figure 6(b), is displayed.

[0067] As described above, the accumulation of various icons at each growth stage is carried out by increasing the total number based on various input operations related to the association of type parameters, as long as the upper limit is not reached, so that the evolution conditions for various characters can be met. Therefore, the evolution conditions for a particular character can be configured so that they can be achieved not only by including the minimum combination of icons necessary to meet the evolution conditions, but also by including other icons that do not contribute to those evolution conditions. In other words, there can be a wide variety of combinations of icons that satisfy the evolution conditions for a particular character.

[0068] Therefore, the combinations of icons shown in the sample image may be merely an example of the accumulation status of icons that satisfy the evolution conditions for the sample character, and do not necessarily have to represent the minimum number of icon combinations required for evolution to that sample character. On the other hand, since the sample image should serve as an indicator for the user to reproduce the evolution to the sample character, it is preferable that it does not include other icons that do not contribute to the evolution conditions in order to prevent the user from being misled.

[0069] Therefore, the attribute icons in the sample images indicate the number of attribute icons that need to be obtained to evolve into a character of the same species as the sample character during the Kids stage. Alternatively, since the special items that can change the special item parameters differ depending on the species of the Kids stage character, the attribute icons included in the sample images indicate the attribute icons that should be obtained during the Kids stage in order to obtain the special item icons shown in the image.

[0070] Furthermore, for some characters in their adult stage, there are specific requirements for the number of care-related error icons, full-stomach icons, and happy-go-lucky icons that must be accumulated to meet the evolution conditions. Therefore, if the sample character is one of these characters, the sample image will show the number of these event-related icons that must be obtained.

[0071] On the other hand, the specialty product icons in the acquisition sample image do not indicate the number of icons needed to evolve into the sample character in question, but rather indicate the type of specialty product icon that needs to be acquired in greater quantities than other types in order to evolve into that sample character. In other words, as mentioned above, for evolution from the Kids stage to the Young stage, the acquisition sample image only needs to show the type of specialty product icon that should accumulate the most. Therefore, if the acquisition sample image is composed without including other specialty product icons that do not contribute to the evolution conditions, the specialty product icons in the acquisition sample image only need to show the type of specialty product icon that needs to be acquired, and the number of such icons can be one or more.

[0072] <Illustrated Guide Menu> To enable the display of sample images related to a code once entered, without requiring further code input, the game device 100 manages information regarding whether or not a code has already been entered for each character with an appearance associated with a code. In this embodiment, displaying sample images at a time different from when a code is entered can be done through the encyclopedia menu, which allows users to view multiple types of character appearances that can appear in the evolution game.

[0073] When an operation input is made to select the encyclopedia menu, the display mode related to the encyclopedia menu, as shown in Figure 7, will start.

[0074] As shown in the illustration, the picture book menu of this embodiment includes a first menu 701 for displaying sample images of the appearance for which a code has been set, and a second menu 702 for displaying the appearance of characters that can appear in the evolution game.

[0075] When the first menu 701 is selected, as shown in Figure 8, the display 110 displays a selection of characters with assigned codes. For characters for which a code has already been entered, the character image 801 of that character is displayed in a visible state, while for characters for which a code has not been entered, a silhouette image 802 is displayed in a state where the appearance is not visible. Here, the silhouette image 802 does not necessarily have to have the edges of the character in question, but may show edges of a shape that evokes the character.

[0076] When the user selects character image 801 (with a pre-entered code) in the first menu 701, a request to view the character (sample character) corresponding to that character image 801 is made, and a sample image of that sample character is displayed.

[0077] Prior to displaying the sample image to be obtained, the display 110 may first display the character image of the sample character for which viewing has been requested, and then, if a predetermined operation input is made while the character image is being displayed, the display may be controlled to transition to the sample image to be obtained. The predetermined operation input while the character image is being displayed can be, for example, an operation to enlarge the character image. This makes it possible to present a presentation that shows the sample image to be obtained in a manner that allows the viewer to examine cells while entering the body of the sample character.

[0078] When the second menu 702 is selected, as shown in Figure 9, the display 110 displays selectable character images of several types of characters that appear in the evolution game. Of these, for appearances in which the target character has evolved in the game played on the game device in the past, the character image 901 of that appearance is displayed in a visible state, while for appearances in which the target character has not yet evolved, a silhouette image 902 is displayed in a state in which that appearance is not visible. Here, the appearances in which the target character has evolved in the past are not limited to the appearances of characters that the target character currently being raised has evolved from the baby stage onwards, but also include the appearances of characters that the user has raised so far on the game device 100.

[0079] When an operation input is made to select a character image 901 in the second menu 702, the character image 901 is displayed larger, as this is interpreted as a request to view the appearance of the character corresponding to that character image 901. In the second menu 702, a sample image of the character for which a viewing request has been made is not displayed, but additional details such as the name and race of the character may be displayed.

[0080] 《Accumulation Processing》 The following describes the specific process of accumulating various icons in the game device 100 of this embodiment, using the flowchart in Figure 10. The process corresponding to the flowchart can be realized by the control unit 101 reading the corresponding processing program stored in the storage device 102, for example, loading it into the memory 103 and executing it. This accumulation process will be described as starting, for example, when an operation input related to the association of any type parameter with respect to a target character is detected.

[0081] In S1001, the control unit 101 determines whether the detected operation input (hereinafter referred to as the target operation input) is an operation input for increasing an attribute parameter (an operation input related to changing the area where the target character is placed). If the control unit 101 determines that the target operation input is an operation input for increasing an attribute parameter, it moves the process to S1002; otherwise, it moves the process to S1006.

[0082] In S1002, the control unit 101 determines whether the conditions for increasing the attribute parameters have been met. This determination is made based on the elapsed time since the target character was placed in the area. If the control unit 101 determines that the conditions for increasing the attribute parameters have been met, it moves the process to S1003; otherwise, it repeats the process in this step.

[0083] In S1003, the control unit 101 increases the attribute parameters related to the environmental attributes of the area where the target character is located.

[0084] In S1004, the control unit 101 determines whether the increased attribute parameter value in S1003 satisfies the conditions for accumulating new attribute icons. If the control unit 101 determines that the increased attribute parameter value satisfies the conditions for accumulating new attribute icons, it moves the process to S1005; otherwise, it completes the accumulation process.

[0085] In S1005, the control unit 101 completes this storage process by accumulating one new attribute icon related to the environmental attributes of the area where the target character is located.

[0086] On the other hand, if the control unit 101 determines in S1001 that the target operation input is not an operation input for increasing an attribute parameter, then in S1006 the control unit 101 determines whether the target operation input is an operation input for increasing a special product parameter (an operation input related to granting a special product to the target character). If the control unit 101 determines that the target operation input is an operation input for increasing a special product parameter, it moves the process to S1007; otherwise, it moves the process to S1010.

[0087] In S1007, the control unit 101 increases the special product parameter related to the special product attribute of the special product assigned to the target character.

[0088] In S1008, the control unit 101 determines whether the increased value of the specialty product parameter in S1007 satisfies the conditions for accumulating new specialty product icons. If the control unit 101 determines that the increased value of the specialty product parameter satisfies the conditions for accumulating new specialty product icons, it moves the process to S1009; otherwise, it completes the accumulation process.

[0089] In S1009, the control unit 101 completes the storage process by accumulating one new specialty product icon related to the specialty product attribute of the specialty product assigned to the target character.

[0090] On the other hand, if in S1006 the control unit 101 determines that the target operation input is not an operation input for increasing the special product parameter, that is, if it determines that the target operation input is an operation input made in relation to an event, then in S1010 the control unit 101 determines whether the event caused by the target operation input is successful or not.

[0091] In S1011, the control unit 101 increases the corresponding type parameter (at least one of the satiety parameter, mood parameter, and number of mistakes parameter) based on the success or failure of the event determined in S1010.

[0092] In S1012, the control unit 101 determines whether the increased value of the type parameter in S1011 satisfies the conditions for accumulating new event-related icons (at least the Hunger MAX icon, Mood MAX icon, and Care Mistake icon). If the control unit 101 determines that the increased value of the type parameter satisfies the conditions for accumulating new event-related icons, it moves the process to S1013; otherwise, it completes the accumulation process.

[0093] In S1013, the control unit 101 completes the storage process by storing one new event-related icon that meets the storage conditions.

[0094] Display control processing Next, the display control processing performed in the game device 100 of this embodiment for displaying a new sample image will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 11. The processing corresponding to the flowchart can be realized by the control unit 101 reading the corresponding processing program stored in the storage device 102, for example, loading it into the memory 103 and executing it. This display control processing will be explained as being started, for example, when an operation input related to the completion of code input is detected on a screen for code input.

[0095] In S1101, the control unit 101 determines whether the input code (hereinafter referred to as the target code) satisfies the consistency requirement. Various known methods can be used to check the code's consistency. If the control unit 101 determines that the target code satisfies the consistency requirement, it moves the process to S1102; if it determines that the code does not satisfy the consistency requirement, it notifies the system that the target code cannot be used and completes the display control process.

[0096] In S1102, the control unit 101 determines whether the code associated with any of the characters appearing in the evolution game matches the target code. If the control unit 101 determines that the code associated with any of the characters matches the target code, it moves the process to S1103. If it determines that they do not match, it notifies the user that the target code cannot be used and completes the display control process.

[0097] In S1103, the display control device 104, under the control of the control unit 101, displays a character image of a sample character corresponding to the target code on the display 110. Subsequently, the display control device 104 displays a sample image of the sample character on the display 110, and completes this display control process.

[0098] As described above, the game device of this embodiment makes it easy to adjust the game progression to match the user's intentions.

[0099] [Example 1] In the embodiments described above, "granting" referred to having a target character ingest a local specialty or local specialty rice as a food item, but the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. "Granting" a game element to increase a predetermined type parameter may also include, for example, using an item associated with any of the attributes on the target character, or equipping the target character with an item. In addition, increasing a predetermined type parameter may also include, for example, interacting with another character associated with any of the attributes.

[0100] [Differentiation 2] In the embodiments and modifications described above, the game played in the game device 100 was described as an evolutionary game in which the appearance of the target character changes as the game progresses. However, the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can include electronic games in which different characters with different appearances appear sequentially, rather than the same target character. In other words, it goes without saying that the electronic games to which the present invention applies are not limited to a specific genre of game such as evolutionary games.

[0101] [Other embodiments] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention.

[0102] [Summary of Embodiments] The above embodiments disclose at least the following program, game device, display medium, and game system.

[0103] (1) The computer on which the game will run will The process of obtaining the code, Display control processing that controls the display of images on the display device, A program that executes, The aforementioned game is a game in which the appearance of the target character changes as the game progresses, and the game is provided with opportunities to obtain multiple modification elements that are involved in changing the appearance. The display control process is a program that, on the condition that the code has been obtained, causes the display device to display a combination image on the display device, which includes as an image element at least one of the combinations of modification elements that give the appearance of the target character a predetermined appearance.

[0104] (2) The modification element includes a first type of modification element and a second type of modification element, which are obtained in different ways in the game. The program according to (1), wherein the game is provided with multiple types of the first type of modification elements and multiple types of the second type of modification elements available for use.

[0105] (3) The first type of modification element in the combined image indicates the number of the first type of modification element that is required to obtain the appearance of the target character to the predetermined appearance, The program according to (2), wherein the second type of modification element in the combined image indicates the type of second type of modification element to be obtained in order to give the appearance of the target character the predetermined appearance.

[0106] (4) The program according to (3), wherein the second type of modification element in the combined image indicates the type of second type of modification element that needs to be obtained in greater quantities than other types in order to give the appearance of the target character the predetermined appearance.

[0107] (5) The program according to any one of (2) to (4), wherein the first type of modification element is obtained on the condition that the target character is placed in the game environment.

[0108] (6) The program described in any one of (2) to (5), wherein the first type of modification element is the modification element obtained depending on the success or failure of an event that occurs with respect to the target character.

[0109] (7) The program described in (6), wherein the success or failure of the event is determined based on the operational input made in connection with the event.

[0110] (8) The game is provided with items that can be given to the target character, The program described in any one of (2) to (7) includes the modification element of the second type, which is obtained on the condition that the item is given to the target character.

[0111] (9) The first type of modification element in the combination image is a program according to any one of (2) to (8) that indicates the type of the first type of modification element necessary to obtain the second type of modification element of the type shown in the combination image.

[0112] (10) The display control process is a program according to any one of (1) to (9), which, on the condition that the code has been acquired, causes the display device to further display the character image having the predetermined appearance.

[0113] (11) The game is provided with multiple appearances for the appearance of the target character, The code is provided for at least some of the appearances of the plurality of appearances, and is a program according to any one of (1) to (10).

[0114] (12) The game proceeds through several stages, Each of the aforementioned multiple types of appearances is specified to appear in one of the aforementioned multiple stages. The aforementioned appearance, at least a part of it, is an appearance that is determined to appear in the final stage of the aforementioned multiple stages. The program according to claim (11).

[0115] (13) The program causes the computer to perform a management process that manages whether or not the code has been obtained for each of the at least some appearances, The display control process, upon receiving a predetermined operation input, starts a display mode that displays an image on the display device corresponding to the requested appearance. The program according to (11) or (12), wherein the display mode includes a first display mode that displays the combined image corresponding to the appearance for which the code has been obtained, provided that a viewing request has been received for the appearance for which the code has been obtained.

[0116] (14) The program according to (13), wherein the first display mode further displays the character image of the appearance for which the viewing request was made on the display device, provided that the viewing request has been received.

[0117] (15) The program according to (14) wherein the display control process, in the first display mode, causes the display device to display the combination image corresponding to the appearance for which the viewing request was made, provided that a predetermined operation input is made while the character image of the appearance for which the viewing request was made is being displayed.

[0118] (16) The program according to (14) or (15) wherein the display control process, in the first display mode, displays a character image of the appearance for which the viewing request has been made on the display device, and then transitions the display from the character image to the combination image corresponding to the appearance.

[0119] (17) The program according to any one of (13) to (16), wherein the display mode further includes a second display mode that displays a character image of an appearance previously taken by the target character in the game run on the computer, on the condition that a viewing request has been received regarding such appearance.

[0120] (18) A game device for running a game, A means of obtaining the code, Display control means for controlling the display of an image on a display device, Equipped with, The aforementioned game is a game in which the appearance of the target character changes as the game progresses, and the game is provided with opportunities to obtain multiple modification elements that are involved in changing the appearance. The display control means is a game device that, on the condition that the code has been acquired, causes the display device to display a combination image which includes as an image element at least one of the combinations of modification elements that give the appearance of the target character a predetermined appearance.

[0121] (19) A display medium usable for the game executed by the game device described in (18), the display medium comprising a first display unit for displaying the code.

[0122] (20) The display medium according to (19), further comprising a second display unit that displays a character image having the predetermined appearance.

[0123] (21) A game system comprising a game device for running a game and a display medium usable for the game, The aforementioned game device, A means of obtaining the code, Display control means for controlling the display of an image on a display device, Equipped with, The display medium includes a first display unit that displays the code, The aforementioned game is a game in which the appearance of the target character changes as the game progresses, and the game is provided with opportunities to obtain multiple modification elements that are involved in changing the appearance. The display control means is a game system that, on the condition that the code has been acquired, causes the display device to display a combination image on the display device which includes as an image element at least one of the combinations of modification elements that give the appearance of the target character a predetermined appearance.

[0124] (22) The game system according to (21), wherein the display medium further comprises a second display unit that displays a character image having the predetermined appearance. [Explanation of symbols]

[0125] 100: Game device, 101: Control unit, 104: Display control unit, 105: Operation I / F, 110: Display

Claims

1. On the computer running the game, The process of obtaining the code, Display control processing that controls the display of images on the display device, A program that executes, The aforementioned game is a game in which the appearance of the target character changes as the game progresses, and the game is provided with opportunities to obtain multiple modification elements that are involved in changing the appearance. The display control process is a program that, on the condition that the code has been obtained, causes the display device to display a combination image on the display device, which includes as an image element at least one of the combinations of modification elements that give the appearance of the target character a predetermined appearance.

2. The aforementioned modification element includes a first type of modification element and a second type of modification element, which have different acquisition methods in the game. The game is provided with multiple types of the first type of modification elements and multiple types of the second type of modification elements available for use. The program according to claim 1.

3. In the aforementioned combination image, the first type of modification element indicates the number of such first type of modification elements that are required to obtain the appearance of the target character to the predetermined appearance, The second type of modification element in the combined image indicates the type of the second type of modification element that should be obtained in order to give the appearance of the target character the predetermined appearance. The program according to claim 2.

4. The second type of modification element in the aforementioned combined image indicates the type of the second type of modification element that needs to be obtained in greater quantities than other types in order to give the appearance of the target character the predetermined appearance. The program according to claim 3.

5. The first type of modification element includes the modification element obtained on the condition that the target character is placed in the game environment, The program according to claim 2.

6. The first type of modification element includes the modification element obtained depending on the success or failure of an event that occurred with respect to the target character. The program according to claim 2.

7. The success or failure of the aforementioned event is determined based on the input operations performed in connection with the event. The program according to claim 6.

8. The aforementioned game includes items that can be given to the target character, The second type of modification element includes the modification element that is obtained on the condition that the item is given to the target character. The program according to claim 2.

9. The first type of modification element in the combination image indicates the type of the first type of modification element necessary to obtain the second type of modification element of the type shown in the combination image. The program according to claim 2.

10. The display control process, on the condition that the code has been acquired, further displays the character image having the predetermined appearance on the display device. The program according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The aforementioned game provides multiple appearances for the appearance of the target character. The code is provided for at least some of the appearances of the plurality of appearances, The program according to claim 1.

12. The aforementioned game progresses through multiple stages, Each of the aforementioned multiple types of appearances is designated to appear in one of the aforementioned multiple stages. At least some of the aforementioned appearances are those that are determined to appear in the final stage of the plurality of stages. The program according to claim 11.

13. The program causes the computer to further perform a management process that manages whether or not the code has been obtained for each of the at least some appearances. The display control process, upon receiving a predetermined operation input, starts a display mode that displays an image on the display device corresponding to the requested appearance. The aforementioned display mode includes a first display mode that displays the combined image corresponding to the appearance for which the code has been obtained, provided that a viewing request has been received for that appearance. The program according to claim 11.

14. The first display mode, on the condition that the viewing request has been received, further displays the character image of the appearance for which the viewing request was made on the display device. The program according to claim 13.

15. The display control process, in the first display mode, is performed on the condition that a predetermined operation input is made while the character image of the appearance for which the viewing request has been made is being displayed, and then the combined image corresponding to that appearance is displayed on the display device. The program according to claim 14.

16. The display control process, in the first display mode, displays the character image of the appearance for which the viewing request was made on the display device, and then transitions the display from the character image to the combination image corresponding to that appearance. The program according to claim 14.

17. The aforementioned display mode further includes a second display mode that, in the game run on the computer, displays a character image of an appearance that the target character has had in the past, provided that a viewing request for such appearance has been received. The program according to claim 13.

18. A game device that runs a game, A means of obtaining the code, A display control means for controlling the display of an image on a display device, Equipped with, The aforementioned game is a game in which the appearance of the target character changes as the game progresses, and the game is provided with opportunities to obtain multiple modification elements that are involved in changing the appearance. The display control means is a game device that, on the condition that the code has been acquired, causes the display device to display a combination image which includes as an image element at least one of the combinations of modification elements that give the appearance of the target character a predetermined appearance.

19. A display medium usable for a game executed by the game device according to claim 18, the display medium comprising a first display unit for displaying the code.

20. The system further includes a second display unit that displays a character image having the predetermined appearance. The display medium according to claim 19.

21. A game system comprising a game device for running a game and a display medium usable for the game, The aforementioned game device, A means of obtaining the code, A display control means for controlling the display of an image on a display device, Equipped with, The display medium includes a first display unit that displays the code, The aforementioned game is a game in which the appearance of the target character changes as the game progresses, and the game is provided with opportunities to obtain multiple modification elements that are involved in changing the appearance. The display control means is a game system that, on the condition that the code has been acquired, causes the display device to display a combination image on the display device which includes as an image element at least one of the combinations of modification elements that give the appearance of the target character a predetermined appearance.

22. The display medium further comprises a second display unit that displays a character image having the predetermined appearance. The game system according to claim 21.

Images