Programs and computer systems

Abstract

To create new forms of entertainment in games with automatically controlled progression by utilizing discarded objects. [Solution] In automated gameplay, when given dispensing conditions are met, a given dispensing object 32 dispenses a given item, and character 4 uses the dispensed item. In this automated gameplay, two or more dispensing objects 32 are controlled to appear. As a result, the dispensing process for each dispensing object 32 is automatically executed, and the game progress is controlled based on the dispensing record of each dispensing object 32.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a program or the like for causing a computer system to execute automatic controlled play of a game.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, games having an automatic progression function that automatically advances a video game, so-called idle games, have gained popularity. The appeal of idle games is that users can enjoy the game in parallel while engaging in other activities, such as performing some work or reading a book.

[0003] It is also well known that conventionally, a discharge object having some form such as a lottery machine draws and discharges items usable in a game through a lottery process to provide them to a user. In order to enhance the amusement of the discharge objects, efforts have been made such as granting benefits according to the combination of items discharged from each of a plurality of discharge objects, or combining a plurality of consecutively discharged items (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] For example, techniques such as giving drop objects a growth element so that they can drop rarer items as they grow, or techniques that allow players to obtain new drop objects that can drop rare items by fulfilling certain conditions, were known. However, compared to techniques that improve the appeal of the dropped items, there were relatively few techniques that improve the appeal of the drop objects themselves.

[0006] Furthermore, games that rely on a given algorithm for automatic progression, such as idle games, can sometimes become monotonous and lack interest in the player's perspective.

[0007] The problem that this invention aims to solve is to create a new level of entertainment in games with automatically controlled progression by utilizing dispensed objects. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The first invention for solving the above problem is: A program for a computer system to perform an automatically controlled game in which a given dispensing object dispenses a given item when given dispensing conditions are met, and a character uses the dispensed item to progress. Appearance control means (for example, appearance control unit 212 in Figure 8) that controls the number of appearances of two or more of the aforementioned discharged objects so that they can appear, Discharge processing execution control means (for example, the discharge processing execution control unit 214 in Figure 8) that controls the execution of the discharge processing for each of the aforementioned discharge objects, A game progress control means (for example, the game progress control unit 210 in Figure 8) controls the progress of the game based on the discharge record of each of the discharged objects. This is a program for making the aforementioned computer system function.

[0009] According to the first invention, during the automatic game progression control by a computer system, two or more ejectable objects are controlled to appear. The game progression is then controlled based on the item ejection history of these ejectable objects. This makes it possible to create new entertainment value in an automatically progressing game by utilizing ejectable objects.

[0010] The second invention relates to the above invention, A manual activation control means (for example, the manual activation control unit 216 in Figure 8) that activates the use of the dispensed item by the aforementioned character based on the player's input, This is a program to further enhance the functionality of the aforementioned computer system.

[0011] According to the second invention, even when the game is being automatically controlled, the player can make the character use an item by inputting controls.

[0012] The third invention is, in the above invention, A character appearance control means (for example, the character appearance control unit 218 in Figure 8) that controls the appearance of multiple characters, A means for determining the character to whom the discharged items discharged from each of the aforementioned discharged objects will be used (for example, the usage determination unit 220 in Figure 8), This is a program to further enhance the functionality of the aforementioned computer system.

[0013] According to the third invention, during automatic game progression control, each of the multiple dispensed items can be automatically used by one of the multiple characters appearing in the game.

[0014] The fourth invention is, in the above invention, The aforementioned usage determination means determines the character to be the user of the combined item, which is a combination of multiple discharged items discharged from the discharged object. It is a program.

[0015] According to the fourth invention, during automatic progress control of a game, a combined item formed by combining a plurality of discharged items can be automatically used collectively by any one of the characters.

[0016] A fifth invention is, in the above-described invention, the combined item exerts an operational effect greater than the sum of the operational effects of the individual discharged items, It is a program.

[0017] According to the fifth invention, the operational effect of the combined item can be made greater than the sum of the operational effects of the individual discharged items.

[0018] A sixth invention is, in the above-described invention, discharge setting change control means (for example, the discharge setting change control unit 222 in FIG. 8) that performs control to change the setting of the discharge object based on the appeared character and / or the action of the appeared character, is a program for causing the computer system to function as the above.

[0019] According to the sixth invention, it becomes possible to change the setting of the discharge object based on the appeared character and / or the action of the character.

[0020] A seventh invention is, in the above-described invention, the appearance control means performs control to change the number of appearances of the discharge object based on the appeared character and / or the action of the appeared character, It is a program.

[0021] According to the seventh invention, it becomes possible to change the number of appearances of the discharge object based on the appeared character and / or the action of the character.

[0022] The eighth invention is, in the above invention, The aforementioned discharged object has an associated character assigned to it. The means for determining the destination of use prioritizes the associated character set on the object that dispensed the dispensed item as the destination character. It is a program.

[0023] According to the eighth invention, it becomes possible to prioritize the use of an object's discharged items by the associated character set to the discharged object that discharged the items.

[0024] The ninth invention is, in the above invention, The appearance control means controls the number of appearances of the discharged objects based on the progress of the game. It is a program.

[0025] According to the ninth invention, it becomes possible to change the number of ejected objects that appear based on the progress of the game.

[0026] The tenth invention is, in the above invention, The appearance control means controls the appearance of new objects based on the progress of the game. It is a program.

[0027] According to the tenth invention, it becomes possible to make new objects appear based on the progress of the game.

[0028] The eleventh invention is, in the above invention, As settings for the discharge object, a discharge setting change control means (for example, the discharge setting change control unit 222 in Figure 8) controls the change of at least one of the following: a) the type of items that can be discharged, b) the total number of items that can be discharged, c) the maximum number of items that can be discharged at one time, d) the probability of discharge, e) the animation when discharged, and f) the timing of the execution of the discharge process. Furthermore, it is a program to make the aforementioned computer system function.

[0029] According to the 11th invention, it becomes possible to change the settings for the discharge object, such as the types of items that can be discharged, the total number of items, the maximum number of items that can be discharged simultaneously, the probability of discharge, the animation when discharged, and the timing of the execution of the discharge process.

[0030] The twelfth invention is, in the above invention, The discharge setting change control means changes the settings of the discharge object based on the progress of the game. It is a program.

[0031] According to the twelfth invention, it becomes possible to change the settings of the discharged objects based on the progress of the game.

[0032] The 13th invention is, in the above invention, The discharge setting change control means controls the setting of the discharge object scheduled to perform the next discharge process, based on the type of the most recently discharged item from any of the discharge objects, in order to improve the possibility of discharging an item that satisfies the type of the most recently discharged item and a given relationship condition. It is a program.

[0033] According to the 13th invention, it is possible to improve the probability that the next item to be dispensed will be an item related to the type of item dispensed immediately before. As a result, the likelihood of related items being dispensed consecutively increases, which raises the player's anticipation for item dispensing and improves the enjoyment of the game.

[0034] The fourteenth invention is, in the above invention, The game progress control means, as game progress control based on the discharge record, executes control to cause the discharge setting change control means to change the settings of the discharge object. It is a program.

[0035] According to the 14th invention, it becomes possible to change the settings of the ejected object as a way to control the progress of the game based on the ejection performance.

[0036] The 15th invention is, in the above invention, The appearance control means controls at least one of the following: (a) the type of discharged object to be made to appear; (b) the timing of the appearance of a new discharged object; (c) the end of the appearance of a discharged object that is currently present. It is a program.

[0037] According to the 15th invention, the number of discharged objects can be controlled by controlling the type of discharged object to be made to appear, the timing of the appearance of new discharged objects, and the end of the appearance of currently appearing discharged objects.

[0038] The sixteenth invention is, in the above invention, The discharge processing execution control means includes a simultaneous discharge control means that executes the discharge processing of each of the discharged objects at the same time. It is a program.

[0039] According to the 16th invention, it becomes possible to discharge items simultaneously from each of multiple discharge objects.

[0040] The seventeenth invention is, in the above invention, The discharge processing execution control means includes a time-delay discharge control means that executes the discharge processing of each of the discharge objects with a time difference. It is a program.

[0041] According to the 17th invention, it becomes possible to discharge items from each of multiple discharge objects with a time difference.

[0042] The eighteenth invention is, in the above invention, The game progress control means controls the progress of the game based on the discharge record of each of the discharged objects performed during a predetermined period in the past. It is a program.

[0043] According to the 18th invention, it becomes possible to control the progress of the game based on the discharge record of each discharged object executed during a predetermined period in the past.

[0044] The 19th invention is, in the above invention, The game progress control means, as game progress control based on the output record, executes control to cause the appearance control means to change at least one of the following: a) the number of output objects that appear, b) the type of output object to appear, c) the timing of the appearance of a new output object, and d) the end of the appearance of an output object that is currently appearing. It is a program.

[0045] According to the 19th invention, as a way to control the progress of the game based on the output record, it becomes possible to change any of the following: a) the number of output objects that appear, b) the type of output object to be output, c) the timing of the appearance of new output objects, and d) the end of the appearance of output objects that are currently appearing.

[0046] The 20th invention is, in the above invention, The game progress control means, as game progress control based on the discard record, executes control to change unused items among the discarded items to another item or to dispose of them. It is a program.

[0047] According to the 20th invention, as a game progression control based on the discard history, it becomes possible to change or dispose of unused items among the discarded items to other items.

[0048] The 21st invention is, A computer system that performs automated control play of a game in which a given dispensing object dispenses a given item when given dispensing conditions are met, and a character uses the dispensed item to progress. An appearance control means for controlling the number of appearances of two or more of the aforementioned discharged objects, Discharge processing execution control means for controlling the execution of discharge processing for each of the aforementioned discharged objects, A game progress control means that controls the progress of the game based on the discharge record of each of the aforementioned discharged objects, It is a computer system equipped with [a certain feature].

[0049] According to the 21st invention, a computer system that performs the same functions as the first invention can be realized. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0050] [Figure 1] A system configuration diagram showing an example of a game system configuration. [Figure 2] An example of a game screen. [Figure 3] Example of displaying items dropped by a drop object. [Figure 4] An explanatory diagram for the automatic equipping of dropped items. [Figure 5] A diagram illustrating the combinations of items that can be obtained. [Figure 6] An explanatory diagram for the automatic sale of discarded items. [Figure 7] An explanatory diagram for the automatic synthesis of discarded items. [Figure 8] A diagram showing examples of functional blocks in a server system. [Figure 9] A diagram showing an example of modification and disposal control data. [Figure 10] A diagram showing an example of discharge object definition data. [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example of initial emission settings data. [Figure 12] A diagram illustrating the appearance and configuration changes of discharged objects. [Figure 13]A diagram showing an example of data for controlling the number of emitted objects. [Figure 14] This figure shows an example of setting change control data. [Figure 15] Example data structure for initial game settings. [Figure 16] Example of game data structure. [Figure 17] A flowchart illustrating the processing flow performed by a server system. [Figure 18] Flowchart continuing from Figure 17. [Figure 19] A diagram illustrating a modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0051] Examples of embodiments of the present invention will be described below, but it goes without saying that the embodiments to which the present invention can be applied are not limited to the following embodiments.

[0052] Figure 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of a game system according to this embodiment. The game system 1000 is a computer system including a server system 1100 and user terminals 1500 for each user, which are connected via a network 9 to enable data communication.

[0053] Network 9 refers to a communication path capable of data transmission. In other words, Network 9 includes not only LANs (Local Area Networks) using dedicated lines (dedicated cables) or Ethernet (registered trademark) for direct connections, but also telephone networks, cable networks, and the Internet.

[0054] The server system 1100 is a computer system in which a control board 1150 is mounted on a main unit 1101. The control board 1150 is equipped with various processors such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1151, a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), various IC memories 1152 such as VRAM, RAM, and ROM, and a communication device 1153. Some or all of the functions mounted on the control board 1150 may be implemented by an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a SoC (System on a Chip).

[0055] Although Figure 1 depicts the server system 1100 as a single server device, it may also be implemented using multiple devices. For example, the server system 1100 may be configured with multiple servers, each responsible for a specific function, connected to each other via an internal bus or network 9 for data communication.

[0056] User terminal 1500 serves as a Man-Machine Interface (MMIF) for user 2 to play the game as a player. For user 2, who is the player, user terminal 1500 functions as a play terminal. In actual operation, it is common for multiple user terminals 1500 to communicate with the server system 1100 simultaneously.

[0057] The user terminal 1500 is a computer system that can connect to the network 9, such as a personal computer, smartphone, wearable computer, portable game console, home game console, or tablet computer.

[0058] The user terminal 1500 is a computer equipped with an operation input device, an image display device, a communication device, and a control board 1550 for performing calculations. Examples of operation input devices include a touch panel 1506, a keyboard, a game controller, and a mouse. Examples of image display devices include a touch panel 1506, a head-mounted display, and a glasses-type display.

[0059] The control board 1550 is equipped with a CPU 1551, various processors such as a GPU and DSP, various IC memories 1552 such as VRAM, RAM, and ROM, and a communication module 1553 that connects to the network 9. These elements mounted on the control board 1550 are electrically connected via bus circuits and the like, enabling data reading and writing, and signal transmission and reception. Part or all of the control board 1550 may be an ASIC, FPGA, or SoC.

[0060] The control board 1550 stores programs and various data necessary to realize the functions of the user terminal 1500 in the IC memory 1552. The user terminal 1500 realizes the functions of a play terminal for playing games by executing a predetermined application program.

[0061] The video games offered by Game System 1000 have two play modes: player-controlled play and automated play.

[0062] Player-controlled gameplay is a type of gameplay where the player character 4 is controlled according to the player's input, and the game progresses accordingly.

[0063] Automated play, also known as autoplay, is a type of gameplay where a computer system, using a predetermined algorithm, takes over the player's input, allowing the game to progress without the player's input. Strictly speaking, it could be considered more of an observation of the game's progress than actual gameplay for the player.

[0064] Figure 2 shows an example of a game screen displayed on the user terminal 1500. The game screen includes a game image display unit 10, an item slot 20, an object display unit 30, an automatic control icon 42, a progress operation icon 44, and a menu icon 46.

[0065] The game image display unit 10 displays a game image featuring one or more player characters 4. The example in Figure 2 shows a game image of an action game where three player characters 4 are fighting enemy NPCs (Non-Player Characters) 6, but the game content and game images can be configured as needed. Multiple candidate characters are provided that can be used as player characters 4, and some or all of these will appear in the game as player characters 4. During gameplay, the type and number of player characters 4 that appear can be changed through player actions.

[0066] In player-controlled gameplay, the game progresses when the player (User 2) performs a predetermined manual progression action on the progression icon 44. This manual progression action can include actions such as tapping, swiping left or right, or rotating the progression icon 44 with a fingertip.

[0067] The automatic control icon 42 accepts the operation to enable (ON) or disable (OFF) automatic control play. Immediately after starting gameplay, it is initially set to player-controlled play and automatic control play is disabled, but it can be switched to enabled by operating the automatic control icon 42. From there, when automatic control play is enabled, the game progresses automatically according to a predetermined algorithm, and the game progresses without manual operation. The player can enjoy the game by viewing the game images on the game image display unit 10 without any operation.

[0068] Even when automatic control play is enabled, players can intervene in the game's progression by operating the progress control icon 44. For example, they can intervene in the actions of player character 4 or in the use of items. When the server system 1100 detects an operation of the progress control icon 44, it will execute the game progression corresponding to that intervention operation as an interrupt process, even during automatic progress control.

[0069] The object display unit 30 displays one or more (N; N≧2) discharge objects 32. In Figure 2, two (N=2) discharge objects 32 (32a, 32b) are displayed. The discharge objects 32 dispense items selected by a lottery process at appropriate timings during game progress control. For example, the lottery process is executed and items are dispensed at timings corresponding to the item discharge record of the discharge objects 32 up to the present time, the progress of the game, etc. The timing of the lottery process and the dispensing of items may be set in advance by the player, or it may be at a timing according to the player's instruction to execute the dispensing process.

[0070] The items dispensed from Discharge Object 32 are items that can be used on the player character 4 in the game, and a variety of types are available. For example, these include equipment items and consumable items.

[0071] Equipment items are items that can be equipped, assigned, or applied (hereinafter collectively referred to as "equipped") to the player character 4. Equipment items include weapon items, armor items, and enchantment magic items that activate enchantment magic. Each player character 4 has a set limit on what equipment items can be equipped, in which parts, and how many of each. By equipping equipment items in the equipable parts within the allowed number, the player character 4 can gain item effects.

[0072] Consumable items are items that are consumed upon use and produce some kind of effect (for example, healing player character 4). Examples include healing potions, torches, temporary power-up skills, ingredients, and materials for item synthesis.

[0073] Figure 3 shows an example of item discharge by a discharge object 32. As shown in Figure 3, when multiple discharge objects 32 appear, they are controlled to discharge items simultaneously. When an item is discharged, the discharged item display unit 52, which is temporarily displayed, shows the discharged item 34 along with a discharge animation indicating which discharge object 32 it was discharged from. In the example in Figure 3, two discharge objects 32a and 32b appear, with a long sword 34a, an equipment item, being discharged from one discharge object 32a, and a healing potion 34b, a consumable item, being discharged from the other discharge object 32b. Items discharged from a discharge object 32 are given to the player and registered as items owned by that player, and an item icon 22 representing that item is added to the item slot 20.

[0074] The processing of held items is performed either automatically or manually. In manual mode, the player can use an item on the player character 4 by performing a predetermined usage operation on the item icon 22 of the item displayed in item slot 20. For example, an equipment item can be equipped to the player character 4. The effects (item effects) of the equipped item are automatically applied to the player character 4. Examples of item effects include increased attack power for weapon items and increased defense power for armor items.

[0075] Additionally, the player can select consumable items and have them used on player character 4. The effects of the used consumable items (item effects) are automatically applied to player character 4. Item effects include, for example, restoring health points with a healing potion item. Used consumable items are removed from the player's inventory, and their item icon 22 is removed.

[0076] Furthermore, players can sell or synthesize items they possess. For example, by operating the menu icon 46 to display the menu, selecting the sell function, and then selecting the item icon 22 of the item they wish to sell, they can sell that item for in-game currency or other rewards. Sold items are removed from the player's inventory, and their item icon 22 disappears. Additionally, by selecting the synthesize function from the menu, and then selecting the item icon 22 of the base material and the item icon 22 of the material to be synthesized, these items can be replaced with a new synthesized item. Both the base material and synthesis material items are removed from the player's inventory, their item icons 22 disappear, and the newly synthesized item is registered as a player item, with its new item icon 22 displayed.

[0077] Processing of held items by the automated control system takes place during automated gameplay. For example, during automated gameplay, the player's held items are used automatically. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the automatic equipping of equipment items during automated gameplay. As shown in Figure 4, if an item ejected from ejection object 32 during automated progress control is an equipment item, and that equipment item satisfies the given automatic equipping conditions, it will be automatically equipped, either replacing an equipped item currently equipped by the player character 4 or as a newly equipped item.

[0078] Automatic equipment conditions are those that determine whether equipping an item in the current equipment state would be advantageous for game progression. For example, an item that player character 4 can equip but has not yet equipped, or an item of the same type as an currently equipped item and of a higher rank than the currently equipped item. "Same type" means the same classification or usage method. More specifically, this includes items of the same classification, such as weapon items or armor items, or items that fit in the same equipment slot on player character 4. "Higher rank" means higher rarity, level, or item effect.

[0079] In the example in Figure 4, the white scarf 34d, of "Rarity B, Level 1," is the equipped item for player character 4. The dropped item is a gray scarf 34c, of "Rarity S, Level 10," which is also an equipped item. It is the same type as the equipped white scarf 34d, but a higher-ranking item. Therefore, player character 4's equipment is automatically changed from the white scarf 34d to the dropped gray scarf 34c.

[0080] If multiple player characters 4 appear in the game, the player character 4 that meets the automatic equipment conditions and whose equipment provides the highest item effect will be selected as the target, and the newly dropped equipment item will be automatically equipped and used.

[0081] The same applies if the item dispensed from the dispensed object 32 is a consumable item. The item is automatically used on the player character 4 who has the highest item effect when the conditions for using the item are met and the item's use is deemed advantageous for the game's progression. For example, if a consumable item, a healing potion, is dispensed from the dispensed object 32, the player character 4 with the lowest percentage of remaining health will be selected as the recipient and the item will be used on them.

[0082] In principle, when an item is automatically used, a player character 4 is determined for each item dispensed from the dispensed object 32. However, if a combination of multiple items dispensed simultaneously satisfies a given combination condition, all items that satisfy that condition will be used on the same player character 4.

[0083] Figure 5 illustrates the automatic use of items that meet specific combination conditions. These combination conditions refer to combinations of item classifications, types, attributes, rarity, etc., such that using them together produces a greater effect than the sum of their individual effects. In other words, these are combinations of items that are deemed to be advantageous for game progression.

[0084] In the example in Figure 5, one of the two ejection objects 32a (32a, 32b) ejects a gray scarf 34e, which is an armor item, and the other ejection object 32b ejects a gray axe 34f, which is a weapon item. The combination of the gray scarf 34e and the gray axe 34f satisfies the combination conditions and is automatically equipped (used) by the same player character 4. As a result of using items that satisfy the combination conditions, the item effect is enhanced compared to equipping each item individually. In the example in Figure 5, the effect of the gray scarf 34e alone is a defense increase of "50", and the effect of the gray axe 34f alone is an attack increase of "100", but the combined effect is activated, and the player character 4's attack power increases by "150" and defense power increases by "80".

[0085] While it is stated that items dispensed from the dispensed object 32 are automatically used when conditions are met that are deemed advantageous to the game's progress, they may also be automatically used forcibly on player character 4 regardless of whether the conditions are met. In that case, the player character 4 to whom the items are used may be selected randomly, or determined according to a given rule such as rotation (order). Furthermore, not only items dispensed simultaneously, but also items dispensed from different dispensed objects 32 and / or the same dispensed object 32 within a predetermined time and considered as owned items may be treated as a combined item if the combination conditions are met. In addition, multiple items dispensed simultaneously from multiple dispensed objects 32 may be treated as a combined item and automatically used on a single player character 4, regardless of the combination conditions.

[0086] Furthermore, during automatic progression control, the disposal of items, such as selling or combining them, is also performed automatically. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the automatic sale of items during automatic progression control. As shown in Figure 6, if an item discharged from discharge object 32 during automatic progression control satisfies the given automatic sale conditions, that item is automatically sold. The automatic sale conditions are those that determine that the item is unnecessary for the progression of the game. For example, for equipment items, the automatic sale conditions include being the same type of equipment item that player character 4 is currently wearing, and being of the same or lower rank. For consumable items, the automatic sale conditions include already possessing a predetermined number or more of the same type of item.

[0087] In the example shown in Figure 6, a dagger 34g of "rarity B, level 1," which is an equipment item, is dispensed from the dispensed object 32. This newly dispensed item, dagger 34g, is of the same type as, but of a lower rank than, the longsword 34h of "rarity S, level 10," which is currently equipped by player character 4. Therefore, the dagger 34g is automatically sold. When the automatic sale is executed, an automatic sale notification 54 is displayed on the user terminal 1500.

[0088] Figure 7 illustrates the automatic synthesis of items during automatic gameplay. During automatic gameplay, if items simultaneously dispensed from multiple dispensed objects 32 satisfy the given automatic synthesis conditions, these dispensed items are automatically synthesized. For synthesis, one of the dispensed items is used as the base material, and the remaining dispensed items are used as synthesis materials. These dispensed items used as synthesis materials disappear, and the newly synthesized item is registered as an item owned by the player, and its item icon 22 is newly displayed. The automatic synthesis conditions are those conditions under which synthesis is deemed advantageous for the progress of the game. For example, items may be of the same type and rank, or items of the same type but different levels that can be synthesized. In the case of items of the same type but different levels, the item with the relatively higher level is used as the base material, and the remaining items are used as synthesis materials, and synthesis is automatically performed. In Figure 7, two identical and equivalent items, daggers 34j and 34k, are ejected from each of the two ejected objects 32 (32a and 32b), and these are automatically combined to create a new longsword 34m.

[0089] Multiple types of dispensed objects 32 are available, and during gameplay, new dispensed objects 32 appear, or existing dispensed objects 32 disappear, dynamically changing the types and number of dispensed objects 32 displayed. The differences between the types of dispensed objects 32 lie in the settings related to item dispensing, such as the type of item dispensed, the probability of dispensing it, the maximum number of items that can be dispensed simultaneously in a single dispensing, and the visual effects when dispensing. The differences between the types of dispensed objects 32 are expressed by differences in appearance. The types and number of objects that appear are controlled and changed according to the player character 4 currently in play, the actions of player character 4, the dispensing history of dispensed objects 32, and the progress of the game. The number and timing of dispensed objects 32 appearances may be set in advance by the player, or they may be controlled according to the player's instructions.

[0090] One way to control the appearance of the ejected objects 32 based on the player characters 4 currently present and their actions is to control the appearance of the ejected objects 32 based on the types, number, and actions of the player characters 4 currently present in the game. For example, one could control the appearance of a specific type of ejected object 32 when a specific type of player character 4 appears, to make an object 32 of a specific type appear equal to the number of player characters 4 currently present (the type of which is random), or to make a new ejected object appear when a player character 4 defeats a specific type of enemy character 6.

[0091] One way to control the appearance of the discharge object 32 based on its discharge history is to use methods such as controlling the appearance of the discharge object 32 based on the types of items that the discharge object 32 has discharged so far, the number of items that have been discharged, the number of times the discharged items have been used by the player character 4, the results of using the discharged items by the player character 4, and the number of times the discharge process has been executed. The results of using the discharged items include, for example, the result (victory or defeat) of the battle between the player character 4 and the enemy character 6 after the player character 4 equipped (used) an equipment item that is a discharged item, or the degree of health recovery when the player character 4 used a consumable item that is a discharged item. The number of times the discharge process has been executed is the number of times the discharge has been performed, and even if multiple items are discharged at the same time, it is counted as one execution.

[0092] For example, the control may include: 1) when a specific type of item is dispensed, a specific type of dispensed object 32 appears; 2) a predetermined number of dispensed objects 32 (of random type) appear in stages depending on the number of items dispensed, the number of times the dispensed items are used, and the number of times the dispensed process is executed; 3) when the number of items dispensed, the number of times the dispensed items are used, and the number of times the dispensed process is executed reach a predetermined number, a specific type of dispensed object appears; 4) when a player character 4 equips (uses) a specific type of equipment item that is a dispensed item and wins a battle against a specific type of enemy character 6, a specific type of dispensed object 32 appears; and 5) when the number of items dispensed by a specific type of dispensed object 32 or the number of times the dispensed process is executed reaches a predetermined number, the appearance of that dispensed object 32 ends and it disappears.

[0093] The appearance of the ejected objects 32 may be controlled based on the game's progress. For example, the type and number of ejected objects 32 to appear may be controlled depending on the current game progress, such as whether a specific event is occurring, such as a battle with a boss enemy character; whether a treasure chest has been discovered and opened; whether a task has been completed, such as clearing a stage; whether a level has been reached; or whether the state or status of the player character 4 is in a predetermined state / status.

[0094] More specifically, examples of control include making a specific type of drop object 32 appear when combat with a specific type of boss enemy character begins, or making a new drop object 32 (of a random type) appear when player character 4 opens a treasure chest.

[0095] Furthermore, an upper limit may be set on the number of discharged objects 32 that appear simultaneously. If the number of newly appearing discharged objects 32 exceeds this limit, the new discharged object 32 may not be made to appear, or the appearance of one of the currently appearing discharged objects 32 may be terminated and replaced by a new discharged object 32.

[0096] Furthermore, the settings for the ejection of the currently appearing ejection object 32 are controlled to change according to the player character 4 currently appearing, the actions of player character 4, the ejection record of the ejection object 32, and the progress of the game, similar to the reference information for controlling the appearance of the ejection object 32.

[0097] Changing the settings related to the dropping of the dropping object 32 means changing some or all of the settings related to dropping items, such as the type of items dropped from the dropping object 32 while it is present, the drop rate, the maximum number of items that can be dropped simultaneously, and the animation when items are dropped. The changes to the settings of the dropping object 32 may be continuous or temporary for a predetermined period of time.

[0098] Examples of how to change the settings related to item drops based on the player character 4 currently present or the actions of player character 4 include: increasing the drop rate of a specific type of item when a specific type of player character 4 appears; setting the number of items dropped simultaneously to be equal to the number of player characters 4 present; using a specific type of animation when a specific type of player character 4 is present; and increasing the drop rate of a specific type of item or increasing the number of specific drop objects 32 dropped simultaneously when player character 4 performs a specific action.

[0099] Examples of how to change the settings related to item drops based on the drop history of drop object 32 include: 1) increasing the drop rate of items of a type associated with a specific type of item when a specific type of item is dropped; 2) increasing the drop limit and the number of simultaneous drops in accordance with the increase in the number of items dropped, the number of times dropped items are used, and the number of times the drop process is executed; 3) increasing the drop rate of a specific type of item when the number of items dropped, the number of times dropped items are used, and the number of times the drop process is executed reach a predetermined number; 4) changing the animation of a specific type of item to a specific animation when the number of dropped items of a specific type reaches a predetermined number; and 5) increasing the drop rate of a specific type of item when player character 4 equips (uses) a specific type of equipment item that is a dropped item and wins a battle against a specific type of enemy character.

[0100] Examples of how to change drop settings based on game progress include increasing the number of items dropped simultaneously during battles with certain types of boss enemies, increasing the drop rate of certain types of items when player character 4 opens a treasure chest, and increasing the maximum number of certain types of items that can be dropped when player character 4 levels up.

[0101] Figure 8 shows examples of the functional blocks of the server system 1100 and the programs and data stored by the server system 1100. The server system 1100 functions as a server processing unit 200 by executing and processing the server program 501 with the CPU 1151.

[0102] The server processing unit 200 performs various controls related to game provision. Specifically, the server processing unit 200 includes a user information management unit 202, a game progress control unit 210, and a timing unit 230.

[0103] The User Information Management Unit 202 executes the prescribed user registration procedure and controls the registration and management of user information 600 for each user 2.

[0104] The game progress control unit 210 performs various controls related to game progress. Specifically, immediately after the start of gameplay, the play mode is set to player-controlled play, and automatic control play is disabled, and the game progresses according to the player's input. When an input is made to enable automatic control play, automatic control play is enabled and various processes are executed to realize the automatic control play mode. For example, it performs automatic progress control such as controlling player character 4 and enemy character 6. If the player intervenes during automatic control play, the game progress corresponding to that intervention is executed like an interrupt process.

[0105] Furthermore, the game progress control unit 210 controls the game's progress based on the output record of each output object 32. Specifically, as game progress control based on output record, it executes a control to cause the output setting change control unit 222 to change the settings of the output object 32. It also controls the game's progress based on the output record of each output object 32 executed during a predetermined period of time in the past. For example, as game progress control based on output record, it executes a control to cause the appearance control unit 212 to change at least one of the following: a) the number of output objects 32 to appear, b) the type of output object 32 to appear, c) the timing of the appearance of a new output object 32, and d) the end of the appearance of an output object 32 that is currently appearing. It also executes a control to change unused output items to another item or to dispose of them as game progress control based on output record. Output record includes any one of the following: 1) the type of output item, 2) the number of output items, 3) the number of times used by a character, 4) the result of use by a character, and 5) the number of times the output process has been executed.

[0106] Specifically, when the discharge processing execution control unit 214 executes the discharge processing of the discharge object 32 and the discharge record is updated, the game progress control unit 210 executes control to the appearance control unit 212 to change the number of discharge objects 32 that appear, and also executes control to the discharge setting change control unit 222 to change the settings of the discharge object 32. Then, if the player character 4 to whom the discharged item will be used has not been determined by the usage determination unit 220, that is, if it will not be used by any player character 4, the game progress control unit 210 changes and disposes of the discharged item according to the change / disposal control data 528.

[0107] Figure 9 shows an example of the modification / disposal control data 528. As shown in Figure 9, the modification / disposal control data 528 defines the modification / disposal conditions and modification / disposal content in association. When the modification / disposal conditions are met, the corresponding modification / disposal is performed. The modification / disposal conditions are defined as conditions related to the discharge history of the discharged object 32. The modification / disposal content defines the content such as changes to the attributes, rarity, and item effects of the discharged item, as well as the content of disposal such as selling, deleting, synthesizing, or converting the discharged item into other items.

[0108] Furthermore, the game progress control unit 210 includes an appearance control unit 212, an ejection processing execution control unit 214, a manual activation control unit 216, a character appearance control unit 218, a usage destination determination unit 220, and an ejection setting change control unit 222.

[0109] The appearance control unit 212 controls the appearance of two or more ejected objects 32. That is, it controls the number of ejected objects 32 that appear based on the characters that appear, the actions of the characters that appear, and the progress of the game. The appearance control unit 212 also controls the appearance of new ejected objects 32 based on the progress of the game. Furthermore, the appearance control unit 212 controls at least one of the following: a) the type of ejected object 32 to appear, b) the timing of the appearance of new ejected objects 32, and c) the end of the appearance of currently appearing ejected objects 32.

[0110] Specifically, the type and number (number of occurrences) of discharged objects 32 to be generated are controlled according to the discharged object definition data 520 and the discharged object occurrence count control data 524. Information regarding the discharged objects 32 that are currently generated is managed as generated discharged object data 558 (see Figure 16).

[0111] Figure 10 shows an example of discharge object definition data 520. Discharge object definition data 520 is generated for each type of discharge object 32. Each piece of discharge object definition data 520 has, associated with the corresponding discharge object type, appearance conditions, appearance termination conditions, discharge initial setting data 522, and discharge animation data.

[0112] The appearance conditions are the conditions for the appearance of the specified type of drop object 32, and are determined based on the currently appearing player character 4, the drop history of the drop object 32, the game's progress, etc. The appearance termination conditions are the conditions for ending the appearance of the specified type of drop object 32 and causing it to disappear. The drop initial setting data 522 is the initial value for the drop of the specified type of drop object 32, and is the setting when the specified type of drop object 32 appears. The drop animation data is the data for the animation when an item is dropped, and includes animation data for one or more animations.

[0113] Figure 11 shows an example of the discharge initial setup data 522. As shown in Figure 11, the discharge initial setup data 522 includes a list of discharge items, discharge conditions that define the timing of the discharge process, a simultaneous discharge limit which is the maximum number of items that can be discharged at one time, a total discharge limit which is the maximum number of items that can be discharged in total, and a discharge animation which is the animation that occurs when an item is discharged.

[0114] The drop item list is a list of items that can be dropped from drop object 32, and it associates the drop probability and the total number of items that can be dropped with each item type.

[0115] As shown in Figure 12, the appearance control unit 212 makes the type of discharge object 32 that satisfies the appearance conditions appear according to the discharge object definition data 520, with the initial settings defined in the discharge initial setting data 522. The settings of the appearing discharge object 32 can be changed by the discharge setting change control unit 222 depending on the progress of the game, etc. In addition, the appearance of discharge objects 32 that satisfy the appearance termination conditions among the currently appearing discharge objects 32 is terminated and made to disappear.

[0116] Figure 13 shows an example of the output object appearance count control data 524. The output object appearance count control data 524 is data for controlling the number of output objects 32 to appear, and defines control conditions and control content in correspondence. When the control conditions are met, the corresponding control content is performed. The control conditions are defined as conditions based on the player character 4 currently in play, the output history of output objects 32, the progress of the game, etc. The control content defines the number of output objects 32 to appear (appearance count), the increase / decrease amount relative to the current appearance count, and the type of output objects 32 to appear.

[0117] The appearance control unit 212, in accordance with the number of discharged objects control data 524, if the control conditions are met, makes new discharged objects 32 appear or terminates the appearance of currently appearing discharged objects 32 to make them disappear, so that the number of appearances reaches the number determined by the corresponding control content. The types of discharged objects 32 to appear or disappear may be random, for example, or predetermined types.

[0118] The discharge processing execution control unit 214 controls the execution of the discharge processing for each of the discharge objects 32. It also executes the discharge processing for each of the discharge objects 32 at the same time.

[0119] Specifically, if any of the currently appearing drop objects 32 meet the currently set drop conditions, the drop processing for all currently appearing drop objects 32 is executed simultaneously. The drop processing for each drop object 32 is performed according to the current settings of that drop object 32. That is, for each drop object 32, a lottery is performed using the drop probabilities of each item type from the item types defined in the item list to determine the type and number of items to be dropped, up to or less than the simultaneous drop limit. Then, each of the determined item types is displayed along with the animation defined in the drop animation and added to the player's inventory.

[0120] The manual activation control unit 216 activates the use of dispensed items by the character based on the player's input.

[0121] Specifically, regardless of whether the game is being played manually or automatically, when an input is made to use an item on player character 4, the system will control the use of the specified item on player character 4. That is, if it is an equipable item, it will be equipped to player character 4, and the corresponding item effect will be applied to player character 4. If it is a consumable item, it will be used by player character 4, the corresponding item effect will be applied, and the item will be removed from the player's inventory.

[0122] The character appearance control unit 218 controls the appearance of multiple characters.

[0123] Specifically, from a pre-prepared list of candidate characters, a number of characters up to or below the maximum number of characters that can appear (determined by the game's progress, etc.) is selected according to the player's input or randomly, and introduced into the game as Player Character 4. The characters that can be selected as Player Character 4 are defined in Candidate Character Definition Data 512 (see Figure 15). Player Character 4 currently in play is managed in Player Character Control Data 552 (see Figure 16).

[0124] The usage determination unit 220 determines the character to whom the discharged items from each of the discharged objects 32 will be used. It also determines the character to whom a combination item, which is a combination of the discharged items from each of the discharged objects 32, will be used. The combination item will have a greater effect than the sum of the effects of the individual discharged items.

[0125] Specifically, for each item dispensed from the currently appearing dispensed object 32, it is determined whether certain conditions are met for using the dispensed item to be advantageous in the game's progression. If the conditions are met, the player character 4 currently appearing who can use the dispensed item and whose item effect is the highest when used is selected as the recipient of the dispensed item.

[0126] Furthermore, if multiple drop objects 32 are present, it is determined whether the combination of items dropped by each drop object 32 matches the combination specified in the combination item list 530. If the combination matches the specified item, the player character 4 that has the highest item effect when using that combination item is selected as the player character 4 to use it on.

[0127] The Discharge Setting Change Control Unit 222 controls the settings of the discharge object 32 based on the character that appears and / or the actions of the character that appears. The control modifies at least one of the following settings for the discharge object 32: a) the types of items that can be dispensed, b) the total number of items that can be dispensed, c) the maximum number of items that can be dispensed simultaneously, d) the probability of dispensing, e) the visual effect when dispensing, and f) the timing of the dispensing process. The control also modifies the settings of the discharge object 32 based on the progress of the game. Furthermore, based on the type of item that was immediately dispensed by any of the discharge objects 32, the control modifies the settings of the next discharge object 32 scheduled to perform the dispensing process to improve the probability of dispensing an item that satisfies a given relationship condition with the type of the immediately dispensed item. Note that the settings of the discharge object 32 may be changed from initial values ​​set by the player in advance. Alternatively, once the player has determined the settings for the discharge object 32, control may be implemented to prohibit further changes.

[0128] Specifically, as shown in Figure 12, according to the setting change control data 526, it is determined whether each of the appearing discharge objects 32 satisfies the change conditions, and if it does, the corresponding change is applied to modify the current settings of that discharge object 32.

[0129] Figure 14 shows an example of setting change control data 526. As shown in Figure 14, setting change control data 526 is data for controlling changes to the settings of the currently appearing ejection object 32, and defines the change conditions and the change content in association. When the change conditions are met, the corresponding change content is applied. The change conditions are defined as conditions based on the currently appearing player character 4, the actions of player character 4, the ejection record of the ejection object 32, the progress of the game, etc. The change content is changes or additions to the setting values ​​of each item, which are set using the initial ejection setting data 522 as the initial value, such as the item ejection probability, the number of items that can be ejected, the ejection conditions, the number of items ejected simultaneously, and the ejection animation.

[0130] Return to Figure 8. The timing unit 230 manages the current date and time 900, measures the time, etc., using the system clock or the like.

[0131] The server system 1100 stores the server program 501, the distribution client program 503, the game initial setup data 510, the user information 600, the play data 700, and the current date and time 900 in the IC memory 1152. Of course, other data may also be stored as appropriate.

[0132] The distribution client program 503, when executed by the user terminal 1500, causes the user terminal 1500 to function as a game client and as a control and human-machine interface for the game system 1000.

[0133] As shown in Figure 15, the game initial setup data 510 contains various initial setup data related to the game. For example, the game initial setup data 510 includes candidate character definition data 512, event definition data 514, item definition data 516, ejected object definition data 520, ejected object appearance count control data 524, setting change control data 526, change / disposal control data 528, and a combination item list 530. Of course, other data may also be included as appropriate.

[0134] Candidate character definition data 512 is data that defines the candidate characters that the player can select as player character 4, and is prepared for each character type. Each candidate character definition data 512 corresponds to a character type and includes model data, motion data, equipment item equipment conditions (specifications of what types of equipment items can be equipped and how many can be equipped in which parts), initial ability setting data, etc. Initial ability setting data is data of the initial settings for each ability parameter.

[0135] Event definition data 514 is data that defines events that occur during the game, such as encountering enemy character 6 or the appearance of treasure chests, and is prepared for each event. Each event definition data 514 corresponds to an event type and includes event activation condition data and event execution data for executing that event.

[0136] Item definition data 516 is data that defines the items that appear in the game, and is prepared for each type of item. This includes items that are dispensed from the dispensed object 32. Each item definition data 516 corresponds to an item type and includes rarity, level, model data, display data, item classification, equipment requirements, and item effect data granted by use. Item classification is a classification such as equipment items or consumable items. Equipment requirements are data set when the item is an equipment item, and include, for example, the types of characters that can equip it, the equipment slots, and the number of equipable items.

[0137] Returning to Figure 8, user information 600 is prepared for each user 2 who has completed the prescribed registration procedure, and stores various information associated with that user 2. One user information 600 contains the user account, number of plays, billing information, save data, etc. The save data includes the game progress at the time of saving, for example, game progress (which game stage was reached, which NPC was encountered, which items were acquired, play time, etc.), player level, owned item list, etc.

[0138] Play data 700 is data relating to the progress of the game and is updated by the game progress control unit 210. Play data 700 includes, for example, player character control data 552, game progress data 554, owned item management data 556, appearing / discarding object data 558, discarding object appearance history data 560, object discard history data 562, item usage history data 564, and item disposal history data 566, as shown in Figure 16.

[0139] The player character control data 552 stores various data indicating the status of player character 4. For example, it includes the player character 4's character ID, character type, latest ability parameter values, equipped item list, display position coordinates, and motion control data. The ability parameter values ​​may be changed sequentially due to the item effects of equipped items.

[0140] Game progress data 554 includes various parameter values ​​that describe the game's progress, such as the elapsed time since the start of the game, the current game stage, and the status data of player character 4. The status data includes ability parameter values, experience points, level, equipment, owned items, and status ailments.

[0141] The item management data 556 is data used to manage the items owned by the player, and for each owned item, it has associated information such as type, attribute, rarity, level, and date and time of acquisition.

[0142] The discharge object appearance history data 560 is a history of the discharge objects 32 that have appeared, and for each discharge object 32 that has appeared, it has associated information such as its type, appearance timing, and appearance termination timing.

[0143] The object discharge history data 562 is a history of items discharged by the discharge object 32, and for each discharge of the discharge object 32, it has associated information such as the type of discharge object 32, the timing of the discharge, and the type of discharged item.

[0144] Item usage history data 564 is a history of the use of owned items, and for each use, it associates the type of item used, the character ID to which it was used, the timing of use, the timing of completion of use, and the result of use.

[0145] Item disposal history data 566 is a record of disposals of owned items, such as selling, deleting, and combining them. For each disposal, it is associated with the type of item disposed of, the details of the disposal, and the timing of the disposal.

[0146] Figures 17 and 18 are flowcharts illustrating the processing flow performed by the server system 1100. For ease of understanding, Figures 17 and 18 limit the explanation to interaction with a single user terminal 1500; however, in actual operation, the server system 1100 interacts with multiple user terminals 1500 simultaneously.

[0147] As shown in Figure 17, first, the character appearance control unit 218 displays a list of candidate characters according to the candidate character definition data 512, and determines the player character 4 according to the player's selection operation (step S1). If there is game save data in the user information 600, it may be read.

[0148] Next, the appearance control unit 212 determines the number and type of discharged objects 32 to be released first, and releases the discharged objects 32 of the determined type (step S3). The number and type of discharged objects 32 may be determined to satisfy the conditions defined in the discharged object definition data 520 and the discharged object appearance count control data 524, or they may be determined randomly.

[0149] Then, the game progress control unit 210 disables automatic control play and starts manual control play, which is game progress control by manual operation (step S5).

[0150] If a switch operation is performed between automatic control play and manual control play during game progress control (Step S7: YES), the game progress control unit 210 switches between automatic control play and manual control play according to the operation (Step S9).

[0151] Then, if automatic control play is in progress (step S11: YES), the appearance control unit 212 determines whether the appearance conditions for the discharged object 32 are met. That is, it determines whether the conditions defined in the discharged object definition data 520 and the discharged object appearance count control data 524 are met, and determines the number and type of discharged objects 32 to be newly released.

[0152] If there are new discharge objects 32 to be made to appear (Step S13: YES), then it is determined whether the number of currently appearing discharge objects 32 is less than or equal to a predetermined upper limit. If it exceeds the upper limit (Step S15: NO), then it is determined which discharge objects 32 to terminate their appearance and disappear from among the currently appearing discharge objects 32 so that the number of appearances becomes less than or equal to the upper limit, and the appearance of the determined type of discharge object 32 is terminated and it disappears (Step S17). After that, the number and type of discharge objects 32 determined in Step S13 are made to appear (Step S19). Note that if the upper limit has been reached in Step S15, control may be taken to stop the appearance of the type of discharge object 32 that has been determined to appear.

[0153] Next, as shown in Figure 18, the discharge processing execution control unit 214 determines whether each of the appearing discharge objects 32 satisfies the discharge conditions. If there are any discharge objects 32 that satisfy the discharge conditions (step S21: YES), the discharge processing is performed for each of the appearing discharge objects 32 (step S23). That is, for each discharge object 32, the number and type of items to be discharged are determined according to the discharge object definition data 520, and the processing is performed to discharge items of the determined type.

[0154] Next, according to the combination item list 530, it is determined whether the combination of dispensed items satisfies the combination conditions. If it does (Step S25: YES), the dispensed items are used as a combination item, and the player character 4 to be used is determined and the items are used (Step S27). If the combination conditions are not met (Step S25: NO), the user determination unit 220 determines the player character 4 to be used for each dispensed item and uses them (Step S29).

[0155] Then, if there are any unused discharged items (Step S31: YES), it is determined for each unused discharged item whether the modification / disposal conditions are met according to the modification / disposal control data 528. If there are any discharged items that meet the modification / disposal conditions (Step S33: YES), the modification / disposal of those discharged items is performed (Step S35).

[0156] Next, the discharge setting change control unit 222 determines whether each of the currently appearing discharge objects 32 satisfies the setting change conditions according to the setting change control data 526. If there is a discharge object 32 that satisfies the conditions (step S37: YES), the setting of that discharge object 32 is changed (step S39).

[0157] Subsequently, the game progress control unit 210 determines whether the game termination conditions (e.g., game over, game clear, game interruption, etc.) are met. If they are not met (step S41: NO), it returns to step S7 and repeats the same process. If the game termination conditions are met (step S41: YES), the game progress control unit 210 saves the save data (step S43) and terminates the series of processes.

[0158] According to this embodiment, during the automatic game progression control by the computer system game system 1000, two or more ejected objects 32 are controlled to appear. The game progression is then controlled based on the item ejection history of these ejected objects 32. This makes it possible to create new entertainment value in an automatically progressing game by utilizing the ejected objects.

[0159] Although examples of embodiments to which the present invention is applied have been described, the forms to which the present invention can be applied are not limited to the above-described forms, and components can be added, omitted, or modified as appropriate.

[0160] (Variation 1) For example, a character may be associated with a discarded object 32, and the system may prioritize selecting the character to use the item that was associated with the discarded object 32. In other words, a character type is associated with each type of discarded object 32, and the discarded object 32 is set to discard items that can be used by the character type it is associated with. Then, if a character of the type associated with that discarded object 32 appears as a player character 4, that player character 4 is selected as the target of the item discarded from the discarded object 32.

[0161] (Variation 2) For example, multiple discharge objects 32 may discharge items sequentially with a predetermined time difference, rather than simultaneously. In this case, the discharge history of the discharge object 32 up to the previous discharge object 32 becomes the discharge history for the next discharge object 32. In other words, the discharge settings for the next discharge object 32 may be changed based on the discharge history of the discharge object 32 up to the previous discharge object 32. Furthermore, for each of the discharge items of multiple discharge objects 32, it may be determined whether they are combination items that satisfy the combination conditions, similar to the embodiment described above (see Figure 5).

[0162] (Variation 3) Furthermore, the game system 1000 may implement multiple user terminals 1500 using a P2P (Peer to Peer) architecture. In this case, programs and data corresponding to the functional division are stored in the user terminals 1500, and the functions equivalent to the server processing unit 200 in the above embodiment are distributed and implemented by the user terminals 1500, which act as P2P nodes. The same effects as in the above embodiment can be obtained in this configuration as well.

[0163] (Modification #4) Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the game system 1000 may be implemented not as a client-server type, but as a single computer system that was the user terminal 1500 in the above embodiment.

[0164] Specifically, as shown in Figure 19, for example, the user terminal 1500B stores all the data stored by the server system 1100 in the above embodiment (see Figure 8). However, instead of the server program 501 and the distribution client program 503, a game program 505 is provided as the application program for the user terminal 1500B. In the above embodiment, the game program 505 implements all of the functional parts of the server system 1100 (see Figure 10) as a terminal processing unit 200t on the user terminal 1500B. For the processing flow described in the above embodiment (see Figures 17 and 18), the execution entity should be read as the user terminal 1500B instead of the server system 1100.

[0165] (Variation 5) Furthermore, although the game system 1000 is a client-server type, it is also possible to configure it so that the user terminal 1500 functions as the terminal processing unit 200t (see Figure 19) through the distribution client program 503 (see Figure 8). [Explanation of Symbols]

[0166] 1000...Game System 1100... Server System 200... Server Processing Unit 202...User Information Management Department 210...Game Progression Control Unit 212... Appearance Control Unit 214... Discharge Processing Execution Control Unit 216... Manual Activation Control Unit 218...Character Appearance Control Unit 220... Usage determination unit 222... Discharge setting change control unit 230...Timekeeping section 500... Server storage 501…Server Program 503…Client program for distribution 510...Game initial setup data 600... User Information 700 play data 900...Current date and time 1500... User terminal 10...Game image display section 4…Player character 6… Enemy Characters 20... Item slots 22... Item Icon 30...Object display section 32... Discharge Objects 34... Items that can be obtained 42...Automatic progress control icon 44…Progress control icon 46…Menu icon 2…User

Claims

1. A program for a computer system to perform an automatically controlled game in which a given dispensing object dispenses a given item when given dispensing conditions are met, and a character uses the dispensed item to progress. Appearance control means for controlling the appearance of two or more of the aforementioned discharged objects, Discharge processing execution control means for controlling the execution of discharge processing for each of the aforementioned discharged objects, Game progress control means that controls the progress of the game based on the discharge record of each of the aforementioned discharged objects, A program for causing the aforementioned computer system to function.

2. A manual activation control means that activates the use of the dispensed item by the aforementioned character based on the player's input. The program according to claim 1 for further functioning the computer system.

3. Character appearance control means for controlling the appearance of multiple aforementioned characters, A means for determining the character to whom the discharged items discharged from each of the aforementioned discharged objects will be used. The program according to claim 1 for further functioning the computer system.

4. The aforementioned usage determination means determines the character to be the user of the combined item, which is a combination of multiple discharged items discharged from the discharged object. The program according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned combination of items produces a greater effect than the sum of the effects of the individual items being dispensed. The program according to claim 4.

6. Discharge setting change control means that controls the setting of the discharge object based on the character that appeared and / or the actions of the character that appeared, The program according to claim 3 for causing the computer system to function as described above.

7. The appearance control means controls the number of appearing objects based on the character that appears and / or the actions of the character that appears. The program according to claim 3.

8. The aforementioned discharged object has an associated character assigned to it. The means for determining the destination of use prioritizes the associated character set on the object that dispensed the dispensed item as the destination character. The program according to claim 3.

9. The appearance control means controls the number of appearances of the discharged objects based on the progress of the game. The program according to claim 1.

10. The appearance control means controls the appearance of new objects based on the progress of the game. The program according to claim 1.

11. Discharge setting change control means that controls the setting of the discharge object by changing at least one of the following: a) the types of items that can be discharged, b) the total number of items that can be discharged, c) the maximum number of items that can be discharged at one time, d) the probability of discharge, e) the animation when discharged, and f) the timing of the execution of the discharge process. The program according to claim 1 for further enabling the computer system to function.

12. The discharge setting change control means changes the settings of the discharge object based on the progress of the game. The program according to claim 11.

13. The discharge setting change control means controls the setting of the discharge object scheduled to perform the next discharge process, based on the type of the most recently discharged item from any of the discharge objects, in order to improve the possibility of discharging an item that satisfies the type of the most recently discharged item and a given relationship condition. The program according to claim 11.

14. The game progress control means, as game progress control based on the discharge record, executes control to cause the discharge setting change control means to change the settings of the discharge object. The program according to claim 11.

15. The appearance control means controls at least one of the following: (a) the type of discharged object to be made to appear; (b) the timing of the appearance of a new discharged object; (c) the end of the appearance of a discharged object that is currently appearing. The program according to claim 1.

16. The discharge processing execution control means includes a simultaneous discharge control means that executes the discharge processing of each of the discharged objects at the same time. The program according to claim 1.

17. The discharge processing execution control means includes a time-delay discharge control means that executes the discharge processing of each of the discharge objects with a time difference. The program according to claim 1.

18. The game progress control means controls the progress of the game based on the discharge record of each of the discharged objects performed during a predetermined period in the past. The program according to claim 1.

19. The game progress control means, as game progress control based on the output record, executes control to cause the appearance control means to change at least one of the following: a) the number of output objects that appear, b) the type of output object to appear, c) the timing of the appearance of a new output object, and d) the end of the appearance of an output object that is currently appearing. The program according to claim 1.

20. The game progress control means, as game progress control based on the discard record, executes control to change unused items among the discarded items to another item or to dispose of them. The program according to claim 1.

21. A computer system that performs automated control play of a game in which a given dispensing object dispenses a given item when given dispensing conditions are met, and a character uses the dispensed item to progress. Appearance control means for controlling the appearance of two or more of the aforementioned discharged objects, Discharge processing execution control means for controlling the execution of discharge processing for each of the aforementioned discharged objects, A game progress control means that controls the progress of the game based on the discharge record of each of the aforementioned discharged objects, A computer system equipped with the following features.

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