Information processing program, information processing method, and information processing apparatus

Abstract

The system aims to shorten the time it takes for a player to select a character and then select an event, while also providing information about the selected character within the event the player chose. [Solution] The information processing device obtains the first parameters relating to a selected character from the storage location corresponding to the selected character, based on first character data in which first parameters relating to a character are stored together for each character, and second character data in which second parameters relating to a character and the storage location of the first parameters are stored in association with each other. From the obtained first parameters, it extracts the first parameters corresponding to the selected event and displays them.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which parameters related to a character such as an initial attack power are stored in association with identification information of the character.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, for example, a game is known in which a player selects an event such as a scenario, and selects a character to be operated in the selected event. However, in such a game, the player cannot select a character prior to the event. Further, in this case, when there are a large number of characters, it is preferable to reduce the time required from the point when the player selects a character to the point when the player selects an event. In addition, in this case, it is preferable to present information related to the character in the event selected by the player to the player.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an information processing program, an information processing method, and an information processing apparatus capable of presenting information related to a selected character in an event selected by a player, while reducing the time required from the point when the player selects the character to the point when the player selects the event.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The first embodiment of the information processing program provides a game in which a player can select a number of events in which a character appears, using first character data in which first parameters relating to the character are associated with the events in which the first parameters change and are stored together for each character, and second character data in which second parameters relating to the character that do not change for each event and the storage location of the first parameters relating to the character within the first character data are associated and stored, and the program receives a character selection, obtains the storage location corresponding to the selected character from the second character data, obtains the first parameters relating to the selected character from the storage location of the first character data, receives an event selection, extracts the first parameters corresponding to the selected event from the obtained first parameters, and controls the computer to display at least a portion of the extracted first parameters.

[0007] The second aspect of the information processing method provides a game in which a player can select multiple events in which a character appears, and the game uses first character data in which first parameters relating to the character are associated with the events in which the first parameters change and are stored together for each character, and second character data in which second parameters relating to the character that do not change for each event and the storage location of the first parameters relating to the character within the first character data are stored in association with each event, and the computer performs the following processes: accepts the selection of a character, obtains the storage location corresponding to the selected character from the second character data, obtains the first parameters relating to the selected character from the storage location of the first character data, accepts the selection of an event, extracts the first parameters corresponding to the selected event from the obtained first parameters, and performs control to display at least a portion of the extracted first parameters.

[0008] The third embodiment of the information processing device includes a processor, which provides a game in which a player can select a plurality of events in which a character appears, using first character data in which first parameters relating to a character are associated with events in which the first parameters change and are stored grouped together for each character, and second character data in which second parameters relating to a character that do not change for each event and the storage location of the first parameters relating to the first parameters relating to the first parameters relating to the character are stored in association with each event, the processor accepts the selection of a character, obtains the storage location corresponding to the selected character from the second character data, obtains the first parameters relating to the selected character from the storage location of the first character data, accepts the selection of an event, extracts the first parameters corresponding to the selected event from the obtained first parameters, and performs control to display at least a portion of the extracted first parameters. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this disclosure, it is possible to shorten the time required from the point in time when the player selects a character to the point in time when the player selects an event, while also presenting information about the selected character in the event the player has selected. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing an example of the first character data. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of the second character data. [Figure 4] This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an information processing device. [Figure 5]This is a diagram showing an example of the first screen. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of the second screen. [Figure 7] This diagram illustrates how to switch the displayed content on the second screen. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of the display area of ​​the second screen related to the modified example. [Figure 9] This flowchart shows an example of display control processing. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, examples of embodiments for carrying out the technology of this disclosure will be described in detail.

[0012] First, the hardware configuration of the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1. The information processing device 10 is, for example, a home game console, a portable game console, an arcade game machine, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, and a personal computer. In this embodiment, as an example, an example in which a home game console is used as the information processing device 10 will be described. The information processing device 10 is an example of a computer.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the information processing device 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, memory 12, storage 13, external interface 14, communication interface 15, and input interface 16. Each of the CPU 11, memory 12, storage 13, external interface 14, communication interface 15, and input interface 16 is connected to each other via a bus 20 so that they can communicate with one another.

[0014] The CPU 11 is a central processing unit that executes various programs and controls each unit. The CPU 11 is an example of a processor. The memory 12 temporarily stores programs or data as a work area. The storage 13 is configured by a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), or a flash memory, and stores various programs and various data.

[0015] The storage 13 stores an information processing program 30 for executing a predetermined game on the information processing apparatus 10. The CPU 11 reads the information processing program 30 from the storage 13, and executes the information processing program 30 using the memory 12 as a work area. Note that the information processing program 30 is not limited to the aspect stored in the storage 13, and may be stored in a recording medium such as an optical disc, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, or an SD memory card. Further, the information processing program 30 may be downloadable to the information processing apparatus 10 via the communication I / F 15. Further, the information processing program 30 can be provided as a program product. The program product includes products in all modes for providing the program. For example, the program product includes a program provided through a network such as the Internet, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium such as an optical disc storing the program.

[0016] The external I / F 14 is an interface for connecting various external devices to the information processing apparatus 10. In the present embodiment, a speaker 21 and a display 22 are connected to the external I / F 14.

[0017] The speaker 21 outputs various sounds. The speaker 21 may be integrated with the information processing apparatus 10, or may be integrated with the display 22. The display 22 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display, and displays various types of information. The display 22 may integrally include a touch panel. Further, the display 22 may be integrated with the information processing apparatus 10.

[0018] The communication I / F 15 is an interface for connecting the information processing apparatus 10 to a network. For the communication I / F 15, for example, a wired communication standard such as Ethernet (registered trademark) or FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface), or a wireless communication standard such as 4G, 5G, or Wi-Fi (registered trademark) is used.

[0019] The input I / F 16 is an interface for connecting the input device 23 to the information processing apparatus 10. The input device 23 is a game controller having operation buttons, direction keys and the like, a mouse, a keyboard and the like, and is used to perform various inputs. A user operates a game using the input device 23. Operation information indicating the content of the input operation performed by the user using the input device 23 is stored in the memory 12. The input device 23 may be integrated with the information processing apparatus 10. Further, the input device 23 may be detachable from the information processing apparatus 10. Further, the number of the input device 23 may be one or more. Further, the input device 23 may be a touch panel integrated with the display 22.

[0020] The information processing device 10 according to this embodiment provides a game in which a player, who is a user of the information processing device 10, selects a character to be controlled and a scenario within a virtual space in the game. In this game, the player selects one character from among several characters and one scenario from among several scenarios before starting the game. A game is a collection of activities and rules for playing or competing. A game is played, for example, by a player using strategies and techniques to achieve a specific objective. Games are played to achieve various objectives, such as competitive objectives like winning a championship, combat objectives like defeating an enemy, educational objectives like learning, and narrative objectives like completing the progression of a scenario. A game may be in a competitive format or a non-competitive format.

[0021] Furthermore, in the game according to this embodiment, multiple cities exist in the virtual space, and one of the multiple organizations becomes the lord of each city. There may be cities without a lord. Characters belong to one of the multiple organizations. There may be characters that do not belong to any organization. Characters may or may not have a role within the organization, such as a leader. The player plays the game in order to achieve the objective set according to the selected character and scenario.

[0022] Furthermore, the scenarios in this embodiment are set with a start date and a title corresponding to the historical facts of the scenario. A scenario is an example of a chronological sequence of events. However, events are not limited to a chronological sequence, as long as they are selectable by the player. Also, characters appear in the scenarios.

[0023] Storage 13 stores character data 32 and character data 34. Character data 32 is an example of the first character data relating to the disclosed technology, and character data 34 is an example of the second character data relating to the disclosed technology.

[0024] Character data 32 stores character parameters (hereinafter referred to as "first parameters") that are determined before the player selects a scenario and that may change depending on the scenario. Furthermore, character data 32 stores the first parameters in association with the scenarios in which they change. Additionally, character data 32 stores the first parameters grouped by character.

[0025] Figure 2 shows an example of character data 32. As shown in Figure 2, character data 32 stores the character ID, character name, start year, start month, location, organization name, status, rank, and loyalty in association with each other. These parameters are fixed before the start of the game, but may change as the game progresses. The character ID is the character's identification information. The character name is the character's name. The character name may also be used as the character's identification information. In this case, the character ID does not need to be included in character data 32. For example, in a game where the character name changes as the game progresses, it is preferable to manage the character by the character ID. The start year is the start year of the scenario. The start month is the start month of the scenario. The combination of the start year and start month allows identification of which of multiple scenarios the data corresponds to. The location is the character's location at the start of the scenario. The organization name is the name of the organization to which the character belongs at the start of the scenario. In the example in Figure 2, if the character does not belong to an organization, the organization name is represented by "-".

[0026] The status indicates the character's state at the start of the scenario. "Not Appearing" means the character does not appear in the scenario. "Undiscovered" means the character appears in the scenario but is not discovered by the player, i.e., cannot be controlled by the player. "Independent" means the character is discovered at the start of the scenario but does not belong to any organization. "Deceased" means the character is dead. For characters belonging to organizations other than those listed above (e.g., "General" and "Strategist" in the example in Figure 2), the status indicates the character's role within that organization.

[0027] Rank is the character's rank. Loyalty represents the level of loyalty the character has to the organization or its leader. In this embodiment, loyalty is represented by a natural number with an upper limit of 100, where a higher number indicates higher loyalty. Loyalty is not set for a character if the character is selected by the player. This is because the player controls the character, making it unnecessary to set loyalty to the organization or its leader. If the character is not selected by the player, loyalty is set for the character as a non-player character. Loyalty affects the actions of non-player characters. For example, the lower a non-player character's loyalty, the more likely they are to defect to another organization or stage a rebellion. Location, organization name, status, rank, and loyalty are examples of first parameters that may change from scenario to scenario. In character data 32, the first parameters are stored in association with scenarios in which at least one of the location, organization name, status, rank, and loyalty has changed. In other words, the character data 32 stores the history of the first parameter.

[0028] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, in character data 32, the first parameters are grouped and stored for each character by arranging them in the order of the character ID. This allows the first parameters for a specific character to be read all at once from character data 32. Alternatively, the first parameters may be stored in separate data files for each character. Character data 32 is prepared in advance by the developers, for example, according to historical facts. Character data 32 is determined before the start of the game. Some parameters included in character data 32 may be editable by the player. Similarly, some parameters included in character data 34, which will be described later, may be editable by the player.

[0029] Character data 34 stores character parameters that do not change from scenario to scenario (hereinafter referred to as "second parameters") and the corresponding storage locations within character data 32 for the first parameters related to that character.

[0030] Figure 3 shows an example of character data 34. As shown in Figure 3, character data 34 stores the character ID, year of birth, year of death, and storage location in association with each other. The year of birth and year of death represent the year of birth and year of death of the character indicated by the character ID. The storage location represents the storage location within character data 32 for the first parameter of the character indicated by the character ID. In this embodiment, character data 32 stores data in units called blocks. Furthermore, since the data in character data 32 is arranged in the order of the character IDs, the storage location of the data can be identified by the number indicating the start block of the storage location and the number indicating the end block of the storage location.

[0031] The information processing device 10 provides multiple scenarios that the player can select using character data 32 and character data 34.

[0032] Next, the functional configuration of the information processing device 10 will be described with reference to Figure 4. As shown in Figure 4, the information processing device 10 includes a receiving unit 40, an acquisition unit 42, an extraction unit 44, and a display control unit 46. The CPU 11 executes the information processing program 30, thereby enabling the receiving unit 40, acquisition unit 42, extraction unit 44, and display control unit 46 to function.

[0033] The reception unit 40 accepts character selections. For example, the player selects a character via the input device 23 on a first screen (see Figure 5) for selecting a character displayed on the display 22 under the control of the display control unit 46, which will be described later.

[0034] Furthermore, the reception unit 40 accepts the selection of a scenario. For example, the player selects a scenario via the input device 23 on a second screen (see Figure 6) for selecting a scenario displayed on the display 22 under the control of the display control unit 46, which will be described later.

[0035] The acquisition unit 42 obtains the save location corresponding to the character selected via the first screen from the character data 32.

[0036] Furthermore, the acquisition unit 42 obtains a first parameter relating to the selected character from the acquired storage location in the character data 32. Specifically, the acquisition unit 42 obtains data from the start block to the end block indicated by the storage location in the character data 32. This data includes the first parameter.

[0037] The extraction unit 44 extracts first parameters from the first parameters acquired by the acquisition unit 42 that correspond to the scenario selected via the second screen. Specifically, the extraction unit 44 extracts first parameters from the first parameters acquired by the acquisition unit 42 that are associated with the start year and start month of the scenario selected via the second screen.

[0038] As mentioned above, character data 32 stores the first parameter in association with the scenario in which it changes. Therefore, for example, if the first parameter does not change in multiple consecutive scenarios in chronological order, the first parameter will only be stored in association with the most recent scenario among those multiple scenarios. Consequently, there may be cases where the first parameter corresponding to the selected character and scenario does not exist in character data 32.

[0039] If the character data 32 does not contain the first parameter of the selected character corresponding to the selected scenario, the extraction unit 44 extracts the first parameter of the selected character that is associated with the most recent past scenario that corresponds to the selected scenario.

[0040] The display control unit 46 controls the display 22 to show a first screen for selecting a character. As an example, as shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, when the player makes an input indicating that they want to select a character from among the scenario and characters on the opening screen, the first screen is displayed on the display 22.

[0041] Furthermore, the display control unit 46 controls the display 22 to show a second screen for selecting a scenario. As an example, as shown in Figure 6, in this embodiment, after the reception unit 40 receives the character selection via the first screen, the display control unit 46 controls the display 22 to show a second screen for selecting a scenario corresponding to the selected character. The second screen includes a display area A1 on which multiple scenarios that the player can select are displayed.

[0042] The display control unit 46 controls the display area A1 to selectively display scenarios in which the selected character appears, from among all the scenarios pre-prepared for the game. Specifically, the display control unit 46 controls the display area A1 to extract from all scenarios the scenarios from the oldest combination of start year and start month to the newest combination of start year and start month, based on the character data 32, which indicate that the selected character appears in a scenario other than "undiscovered," "not yet appeared," or "deceased," and displays them in the display area A1. In this way, the display control unit 46 controls the display area A1 to display only the scenarios in which the selected character appears.

[0043] Furthermore, the second screen includes a display area A2 in which, when a scenario is selected in display area A1, the first parameters corresponding to the selected character and scenario are displayed.

[0044] The display control unit 46 controls the display of at least a portion of the first parameters extracted by the extraction unit 44 in the display area A2. Specifically, the display control unit 46 controls the display of at least one of the selected character's in-game location, affiliated organization, age, rank, and ability score. Figure 6 shows an example where the selected character is "Character A," and the in-game location, affiliated organization, age, rank, and ability score of "Character A" are displayed. Figure 6 also shows an example where the character's role in the organization to which they belong (in the example in Figure 6, "General") is also displayed.

[0045] Furthermore, the display control unit 46 controls the display area A2 to display the organizations governing each city on the in-game map in a way that allows the player to see the influence of each organization in the selected scenario. In the example in Figure 6, cities that are filled in gray and cities that are hatched represent cities governed by organizations, and the organizations governing the cities can be identified by the differences in color and hatching. The display control unit 46 also controls the display of an icon I representing a character at a position corresponding to the location of the selected character on the map.

[0046] As an example, as shown in Figure 7, when the player changes the selected scenario from the first scenario to the second scenario by moving the cursor, the display of the first parameter, which changes between the first and second scenarios, such as the position of icon I, is switched to the first parameter associated with the second scenario. This display of the second screen allows the player to understand the character's status (e.g., location and rank) before the game progresses in the scenario.

[0047] Furthermore, the display control unit 46 controls the display of at least a portion of the second parameters of the selected character in the display area A2. Figure 6 shows an example in which the character's birth year and death year are displayed as the second parameters.

[0048] Furthermore, character ability scores such as intelligence and military strength may be stored in either character data 32 or character data 34. For example, in a game where character ability scores do not change, the ability scores may be stored as a second parameter in character data 34. Also, for example, in a game where character ability scores may change depending on the scenario, the ability scores may be stored as a first parameter in character data 32. In this case, the pentagonal graph of ability scores displayed in display area A2 may change in accordance with the change in ability scores.

[0049] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, the display control unit 46 may also control the display area A2 to display parameters such as tactics, special skills, and characteristics that the selected character can perform as first parameters. In this case, these parameters are stored in the character data 32. Alternatively, these parameters may be stored in the character data 34 as second parameters.

[0050] Next, the operation of the information processing device 10 will be explained with reference to Figure 9. The CPU 11 executes the information processing program 30, which in turn executes the display control process shown in Figure 9. The display control process shown in Figure 9 is executed on the opening screen when the player makes an input indicating that they have selected a character from among the scenario and characters.

[0051] In step S10 of Figure 9, the display control unit 46 controls the display 22 to display a first screen for character selection. In step S12, the reception unit 40 waits until it receives a character selection. When the player selects a character via the input device 23 on the first screen displayed on the display 22 in step S10, the determination in step S12 becomes a positive determination, and the process proceeds to step S14. For example, the player selects a character by moving the cursor over the character on the first screen.

[0052] In step S14, the acquisition unit 42 acquires the save location corresponding to the character selected via the first screen from the character data 32. In step S16, the acquisition unit 42 acquires the first parameter relating to the selected character from the save location acquired in step S14 in the character data 32. In step S18, the display control unit 46 controls the display 22 to display a second screen for selecting a scenario.

[0053] In step S20, the reception unit 40 waits until it receives a scenario selection. When the player selects a scenario via the input device 23 on the second screen displayed on the display 22 in step S18, the judgment in step S20 becomes a positive judgment, and the process moves to step S22. In step S22, as described above, the extraction unit 44 extracts the first parameters corresponding to the scenario selected via the second screen from the first parameters obtained in step S16.

[0054] In step S24, the display control unit 46 controls the display of at least a portion of the first parameters extracted in step S22 in the display area A2. When the processing in step S24 is completed, the display control processing is completed. When the player inputs that they have selected a character and a scenario and want to start the game, the CPU 11 restores the data at the start of the selected scenario from various data such as character data 32 and city data, and starts the game after ensuring consistency in the placement of each character and the organizations governing the cities. For example, when the player places the cursor over a scenario in the display area A2 and presses the OK button, the game starts.

[0055] As described above, according to this embodiment, the player can select a scenario after selecting a character. Furthermore, since the first parameters related to the selectable characters are stored together for each character, the time required to retrieve the first parameters related to the selected character can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the time required from the time the player selects a character to the time the player selects a scenario, while simultaneously presenting information about the selected character in the scenario the player has chosen.

[0056] In the above embodiment, the display control unit 46 may also control the display 22 to show a third screen for confirming the character and scenario selected by the player. In this case, the display may transition from the third screen to the first screen or the second screen in response to the player's instructions. Alternatively, the display may transition from the second screen to the first screen in response to the player's instructions.

[0057] Furthermore, the various processes that the CPU 11 reads and executes in the above embodiment may be executed by various processors other than the CPU. Examples of such processors include PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices) such as FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacturing, and dedicated electrical circuits that are processors with circuit configurations specifically designed to execute specific processes, such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits). In addition, the various processes may be executed by one of these various processors, or by a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (for example, multiple FPGAs, and a combination of a CPU and an FPGA). More specifically, the hardware structure of these various processors is an electrical circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0058] 10 Information Processing Devices 11 CPU 30 Information Processing Programs 40 Reception Department 42 Acquisition Department 44 Extraction part 46 Display Control Unit

Claims

1. In a game that provides multiple events that a player can select, in which a character appears, using first character data in which a first parameter relating to the character is determined before the player selects the event and may change for each event, and which is associated with the event in which the first parameter changes and stored together for each character, and second character data in which a second parameter relating to the character that does not change for each event and the storage location of the first parameter relating to that character within the first character data are associated and stored, We accept character selections. The storage location corresponding to the selected character is obtained from the second character data, The first parameters relating to the selected character are obtained from the storage location of the first character data. We accept event selections. From the acquired first parameters, the first parameter corresponding to the selected event is extracted. The system performs control to display at least a portion of the extracted first parameters. An information processing program that causes a computer to perform a task.

2. As the first parameter, control is performed to display at least one of the selected character's in-game location, affiliated organization, age, rank, and ability score. An information processing program according to claim 1 for causing a computer to perform processing.

3. Furthermore, control is performed to display at least a portion of the second parameters of the selected character. An information processing program according to claim 1 or claim 2 for causing a computer to perform processing.

4. The aforementioned events are time-series events, If the first character data does not contain the first parameter of the selected character corresponding to the selected event, the first parameter of the selected character associated with the past event closest to the selected event is extracted. An information processing program according to claim 1 or claim 2 for causing a computer to perform processing.

5. The first parameter described above includes a parameter that is not set for the character if the character is selected by the player, and is set for the character as a non-player character if the character is not selected by the player. The information processing program according to claim 1 or claim 2.

6. The first character data is stored grouped for each character by arranging the first parameters in the order of the character's identification information. The information processing program according to claim 1 or claim 2.

7. Control is performed to display a first screen for selecting the aforementioned character. After receiving the selection of the character via the first screen, control is performed to display a second screen for selecting the event. An information processing program according to claim 1 or claim 2 for causing a computer to perform processing.

8. In a game that provides multiple events that a player can select, in which a character appears, using first character data in which a first parameter relating to the character is determined before the player selects the event and may change for each event, and which is associated with the event in which the first parameter changes and stored together for each character, and second character data in which a second parameter relating to the character that does not change for each event and the storage location of the first parameter relating to that character within the first character data are associated and stored, We accept character selections. The storage location corresponding to the selected character is obtained from the second character data, The first parameters relating to the selected character are obtained from the storage location of the first character data. We accept event selections. From the acquired first parameters, the first parameter corresponding to the selected event is extracted. The system performs control to display at least a portion of the extracted first parameters. An information processing method in which a computer performs the processing.

9. The processor comprises, In a game that provides multiple events that a player can select, in which a character appears, using first character data in which a first parameter relating to the character is determined before the player selects the event and may change for each event, and which is associated with the event in which the first parameter changes and stored together for each character, and second character data in which a second parameter relating to the character that does not change for each event and the storage location of the first parameter relating to that character within the first character data are associated and stored, We accept character selections. The storage location corresponding to the selected character is obtained from the second character data, The first parameters relating to the selected character are obtained from the storage location of the first character data. We accept event selections. From the acquired first parameters, the first parameter corresponding to the selected event is extracted. The system performs control to display at least a portion of the extracted first parameters. Information processing device.

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