Game viewing system and server equipment

Abstract

To provide a game spectator system that enables spectators to deeply engage with the players' gameplay without disrupting the game's mechanics. [Solution] The game spectator system includes a game control unit that advances the game through player operations, a spectator control unit that presents to the spectator the content of the game being played by the player in a way that allows the spectator to understand at least a part of it, a mode transition unit that transitions to an interactive mode in which the spectator can participate in the game when predetermined mode transition conditions are met during gameplay, and an participation content determination unit that provides the spectator with a preparation phase before the content of their participation is reflected in the game, and determines the content of their participation based on the spectator's selection in the preparation phase, and the game control unit reflects the determined content of their participation in the game in the interactive mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a game viewing system and a server device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, among games that allow non-players (viewers) to watch a game being played by a player, there is known a type that allows viewers to present items to the player (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In conventional technology, viewers participate in the player's game play at their own free timing and based on their own judgment at each occasion. For this reason, there was a problem that the matters in which viewers could participate in the game were limited, in order to prevent the game itself from breaking down due to the viewers' involvement.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a game viewing system and a server device that allow viewers not playing the game to deeply participate in the player's game play without breaking down the game performance.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] (1) The present invention relates to a game spectator system comprising: a game control unit that advances a game through the operation of a player; a spectator control unit that presents to a spectator, different from the player of the game, at least a part of the content of the game being played by the player in a way that the spectator can grasp; a mode transition unit that, when predetermined mode transition conditions are met during the game, transitions to an interactive mode in which the spectator can participate in the game; and an participation content determination unit that provides the spectator with a preparation phase before the content of the participation is reflected in the game, and determines the content of the participation based on the spectator's selection in the preparation phase, wherein the game control unit reflects the determined content of the participation in the game in the interactive mode. The present invention also relates to a server device including the above parts. The present invention also relates to a program for causing a computer to function as the above parts. The present invention also relates to a computer-readable information storage medium that stores the above program.

[0007] According to the present invention, when the game transitions to an interactive mode during a player's gameplay, spectators can participate in the gameplay. Furthermore, by providing a preparation phase that allows spectators to consider the content of their participation in advance, it is possible to realize a game in which spectators can deeply participate in the player's gameplay without disrupting the game's balance.

[0008] (2) In addition, in the game viewing system, server device, program and information storage medium according to the present invention, the mode transition unit may control the transition to the interactive mode based on the viewing status of the viewer.

[0009] According to the present invention, the transition to interactive mode can be appropriately controlled according to the viewing situation.

[0010] (3) In addition, in the game viewing system, server device, program and information storage medium according to the present invention, the mode transition unit may change the content of the interactive mode based on the viewing status of the viewer.

[0011] According to the present invention, the content of the interactive mode can be appropriately controlled according to the viewing situation.

[0012] (4) In addition, in the game viewing system, server device, program and information storage medium according to the present invention, the mode transition unit may determine the degree of excitement of the spectators as the viewing status.

[0013] According to the present invention, the transition to interactive mode can be appropriately controlled according to the level of excitement among the spectators.

[0014] (5) In addition, in the game viewing system, server device, program and information storage medium according to the present invention, the viewing status may be the status of a predetermined operation performed by the viewer that involves the consumption of a fee.

[0015] According to the present invention, the transition to interactive mode can be appropriately controlled according to the status of a predetermined operation that involves the consumption of a fee by the spectator.

[0016] (6) In addition, in the game viewing system, server device, program and information storage medium according to the present invention, the viewing status may be the presence or absence or number of spectators who have a predetermined relationship with the player.

[0017] According to the present invention, the transition to interactive mode can be appropriately controlled according to the relationship between the spectator and the player.

[0018] (7) In addition, in the game viewing system, server device, program and information storage medium according to the present invention, the viewing control unit may present the viewing status to the viewer in a manner that allows them to understand the viewing status.

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to give a spectator a sense of expectation for transition to the interactive mode.

[0020] (8) Further, in the game viewing system, server device, program, and information storage medium according to the present invention, the viewing control unit may present to the spectator the association between the viewing situation and the transition to the interactive mode in a graspable manner.

[0021] According to the present invention, it is possible to give a spectator a sense of expectation for transition to the interactive mode.

[0022] (9) Further, in the game viewing system, server device, program, and information storage medium according to the present invention, the content of the involvement may be placement of an object within the game.

[0023] According to the present invention, a spectator places an object within the game that a player is playing and can be deeply involved in the player's game play.

[0024] (10) Further, in the game viewing system, server device, program, and information storage medium according to the present invention, the involvement content determination unit may determine the content of the involvement based on the operation of the spectator who selects the timing at which the object is placed.

[0025] According to the present invention, a spectator can place an object at an arbitrary timing within the game that a player is playing, and can be deeply involved in the player's game play.

[0026] (11) Further, in the game viewing system, server device, program, and information storage medium according to the present invention, the involvement content determination unit may present the selection status of other spectators to the spectator in a graspable manner in the preparation phase.

[0027] According to the present invention, spectators can consider the content of their involvement by referring to the choices made by other spectators during the preparation phase, thereby improving spectator convenience.

[0028] (12) In addition, in the game viewing system, server device, program and information storage medium according to the present invention, the involvement content determination unit may, in the preparation phase, present to the spectator whether or not there is any overlap between the content of the spectator's involvement and the content of other spectators' involvement.

[0029] According to the present invention, spectators can consider the content of their involvement by referring to the overlap with the involvement of other spectators during the preparation phase, thereby improving the convenience of the spectators.

[0030] (13) In addition, in the game viewing system, server device, program and information storage medium according to the present invention, the involvement content determination unit may determine the content of the involvement to be reflected in the game based on the degree of overlap between the content of the involvement of the spectator and the content of the involvement of other spectators.

[0031] (14) In addition, in the game viewing system, server device, program and information storage medium according to the present invention, the game control unit may stop the progress of the game during the preparation phase and resume the progress of the game after the end of the preparation phase.

[0032] According to the present invention, by accepting spectator selections during the preparation phase while the game is paused to determine the content of their involvement, and then reflecting that content in the game after the game resumes, it is possible to prevent the gameplay from breaking down.

[0033] (15) In addition, in the game viewing system, server device, program and information storage medium according to the present invention, the game control unit may grant the player and / or the spectator a reward based on the player's actions in relation to the content of the involvement reflected in the game.

[0034] According to the present invention, since the prize is determined based on the players' actions in relation to the spectators' involvement, it is possible to realize a game in which spectators can be more deeply involved in the game.

[0035] (16) In addition, in the game viewing system, server device, program and information storage medium according to the present invention, the viewing control unit may present the results of the participation to the viewer after the end of the game and / or the end of the interactive mode.

[0036] According to the present invention, the results of participation in the game can be made known to spectators. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0037] [Figure 1] A diagram illustrating the game viewing system of this embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of a functional block diagram of the server in this embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of a functional block diagram of the terminal in this embodiment. [Figure 4] A diagram showing an example of a game screen displayed on the player's terminal. [Figure 5] This diagram shows an example of a game screen displayed on a spectator's device. [Figure 6] This diagram shows an example of a game screen displayed on a spectator's device. [Figure 7] This diagram shows an example of a window for specifying the placement of indicators (objects). [Figure 8] This diagram shows an example of a game screen displayed on a spectator's device. [Figure 9] A flowchart showing the processing flow of the server in this embodiment. [Figure 10] A flowchart showing the processing flow of the terminal in this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0038] The following describes this embodiment. Note that the embodiment described below does not unduly limit the scope of the present invention as described in the claims. Furthermore, not all of the configurations described in this embodiment are necessarily essential components of the present invention.

[0039] 1. Structure Figure 1 shows the game viewing system of this embodiment. In this embodiment, it is composed of multiple terminals 10 and a server 20 (server system). In other words, as shown in Figure 1, the game viewing system of this embodiment is configured such that the server 20 (server device) that provides services and the terminals 10 (10A, 10B, 10C, etc.) can connect to a network.

[0040] Server 20 is an information processing device that provides online game services in response to requests from terminal 10. Server 20 can be composed of one or more servers (authentication server, matching server, game processing server, communication server, billing server, database server, etc.).

[0041] In this embodiment, the game is executed on the player's terminal 10, and the server 20 performs processes such as controlling the progress of the game executed on the terminal and allowing spectators to watch the game being played by the player (displaying the game content on the spectator's terminal 10). The server 20 also manages information such as the player's account information, the game results of the game executed on terminal 10, game media that can be used in the game (game media such as characters and items), and in-game currency that can be used in the game.

[0042] Terminal 10 is an information processing device such as a mobile terminal (smartphone, mobile phone, portable game console, etc.), a personal computer (PC), a game device, or an image generation device, and is capable of connecting to Server 20 via a network such as the Internet (WAN) or LAN. The communication line between Terminal 10 and Server 20 may be wired or wireless.

[0043] Figure 2 shows an example of a functional block diagram of the server 20 of this embodiment. Note that the server of this embodiment may have a configuration in which some of the components (parts) shown in Figure 2 are omitted.

[0044] The memory unit 270 stores programs and various data necessary for the computer to function as parts of the processing unit 200, and also functions as a work area for the processing unit 200, and this function can be realized by a hard disk, RAM, etc. The memory unit 270 is a storage unit 272 (for example (Includes databases.)

[0045] The storage unit 272 stores player information for each of the multiple players participating in the online game executed by the game spectator system of this embodiment. For example, the storage unit 272 stores player information such as player name (player account), password, and destination information of terminal 10 (IP address, etc.), associated with the player identification information (player ID, terminal ID used by the player, etc.) of each of the multiple players. The storage unit 272 also stores information for identifying other players who are friends with the player (an example of a predetermined relationship), as player information. Furthermore, the storage unit 272 stores information regarding the game media and in-game currency owned by the player, associated with the player identification information, as player information.

[0046] The communication unit 296 performs various controls for communication with the terminal 10 and other servers, and its functions can be realized by hardware such as various processors or communication ASICs, or by programs.

[0047] The processing unit 200 (processor) performs various processes such as managing player information, processing related to login / logout, and communication control processing based on data and programs transmitted from the terminal 10 and received via the communication unit 296. The processing unit 200 uses the storage unit 270 as a work area for various processes. The functions of the processing unit 200 can be realized by hardware such as various processors (CPU, DSP, etc.), ASICs (gate arrays, etc.), or by programs. The processing unit 200 includes a viewing control unit 210, a mode transition unit 212, and an involvement content determination unit 214.

[0048] The spectator control unit 210 presents to spectators, who are not the players of the game, at least a part of the content of the game being played by the players in a way that allows them to understand it. More specifically, the spectator control unit 210 generates information necessary for viewing the game being played by the player as needed, based on player operation information and game progress transmitted from the player's terminal 10, and transmits it to the spectator's terminal 10. The spectator control unit 210 may also present (notify) the spectator in a way that allows them to understand the viewing status. In this case, the spectator control unit 210 may present the viewing status by displaying an image on the display of the spectator's terminal 10, or by using sound (voice, notification sound, change in BGM) or vibration. The viewing status will be described later.

[0049] The mode transition unit 212 transitions to an interactive mode, which allows spectators to participate in the game, when predetermined mode transition conditions are met while a player is playing the game. In interactive mode, all spectators may be allowed to participate in the game, or only specific spectators may be allowed to participate. The mode transition unit 212 may determine that the mode transition conditions have been met when a predetermined operation for mode transition is performed by a player or spectator. In this case, the mode transition may occur at the time the operation is performed, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the operation, or at the time specified by the operation. The mode transition unit 212 may also determine that the mode transition conditions have been met when the number of spectators who have performed the predetermined operation for mode transition reaches a predetermined number (or a majority of the spectators). The mode transition unit 212 may also determine that the mode transition conditions have been met at a predetermined time after the start of the game (for example, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the game). Additionally, the game may transition to interactive mode at the start of a predetermined period during gameplay (for example, a specific period within a song played in a music game, such as the intro, chorus, or interlude) and exit interactive mode at the end of that period.

[0050] Furthermore, the mode transition unit 212 determines the spectators' viewing status (for example, the level of excitement among the spectators). The transition to interactive mode may be controlled based on the following. In this case, it may be determined whether the mode transition conditions have been met based on the spectator status. Here, the spectator status may include the presence or absence of spectators, the presence or absence of spectators with a predetermined relationship to the player, the presence or absence of comments posted by spectators, and the presence or absence of tips from spectators. In this case, it may be determined that the mode transition conditions have been met if there are spectators, if there are spectators with a predetermined relationship to the player, if there are comments posted, or if tips have been made. Alternatively, it may be determined that the mode transition conditions have been met if there are no spectators, if there are no spectators with a predetermined relationship to the player, if there are no comments posted, or if tips have not been made. Note that a spectator may be anyone who can watch the game (viewer), or a viewer who can participate in the game. Furthermore, a spectator who has a predetermined relationship with a player may be a spectator who is friends with the player, a spectator whose intimacy level with the player is above a predetermined value, a spectator designated in advance by the player, a spectator selected by lottery based on the player's actions, a spectator who has a high (or low) relevance to the player's play information (for example, a spectator whose level, rank, or play history is similar (or different) to the player, a spectator whose gender or team affiliation is the same (or different) to the player, a spectator who has played with the player in the past (or has not), or a spectator who has raised their hand to participate in the interactive mode of the game the player is playing (an indication of their intention to participate). Also, a tip may be an action that involves the spectator spending a reward (in-game currency or items held by the spectator), or an action that does not involve the spectator spending a reward. Furthermore, the viewing status may include the number of spectators, the number of spectators who have a specific relationship with the players, the number of comments posted, the number of times tips were given, and the amount of tips given.In this case, the mode transition conditions may be judged to have been met when the number of spectators, the number of spectators with a predetermined relationship to the player, the number of comments posted, the number of times tips were given, or the amount of tips reached predetermined values, or when these did not reach predetermined values. Alternatively, the mode transition conditions may be judged to have been met based on changes in the number of spectators (or spectators with a predetermined relationship to the player) (whether they increased or decreased, the degree of increase or decrease, etc.). For example, the mode transition conditions may be judged to have been met when the number of spectators increased or increased sharply (increased by more than a predetermined number in the most recent predetermined period), or when the number of spectators decreased or decreased sharply (decreased by more than a predetermined number in the most recent predetermined period).

[0051] Furthermore, the mode transition unit 212 may change the content of the interactive mode when predetermined mode content change conditions are met. For example, the mode transition unit 212 may determine that predetermined mode content change conditions have been met when a predetermined operation is performed by a player or spectator, when the number of spectators who have performed such operation reaches a predetermined number, when the number of such spectators increases or increases rapidly, when the number of such spectators decreases or decreases rapidly, or when a predetermined timing occurs after the start of the game. In this case, players and spectators may be allowed to specify the content of the interactive mode. The mode transition unit 212 may also change the content of the interactive mode based on the spectator status described above. In this case, the mode transition unit 212 may determine whether or not the mode content change conditions have been met based on the spectator status, or the content of the interactive mode may change according to the spectator status. The determination of whether or not the mode content change conditions have been met may be made based on the situation at the time of mode transition (such as the spectator status), or based on the situation at a time other than the time of mode transition. The content of the interactive mode may differ for each spectator.

[0052] Furthermore, the mode transition unit 212 terminates the interactive mode when predetermined termination conditions are met. For example, the termination conditions may be determined to be met when a predetermined time has elapsed since the transition to interactive mode (or the start of the game), or when predetermined operations for terminating the mode are performed by a player or spectator. The termination condition may be deemed to have been met when the conditions are met, when the number of spectators who have performed the prescribed operation for ending the mode reaches a predetermined number (or a majority of the spectators), or when the spectator situation reaches a predetermined state (for example, when the number of spectators falls below a predetermined value).

[0053] The involvement content determination unit 214 provides the spectator with a preparation phase before the content of the involvement is reflected in the game, and determines the content of the involvement based on the spectator's selection (operation) in the preparation phase. Information regarding the determined content of the involvement is transmitted to the player's terminal 10 and the spectator's terminal 10. The content of the involvement can be anything that affects the player's gameplay, for example, it could be the placement of an object in the game. In this case, the spectator may be able to select (specify) the type of object to place (which object to place), the location where the object will be placed (where to place it), and the timing of the object's placement (when to place it) in the preparation phase. The object may be an object that the player can operate on, or it may not be an object that the player can operate on. For example, if the game the player is playing is a music game (rhythm game), the object may be an instruction sign (marker) to instruct the player on the timing of operations. The object may also be an enemy character that appears in a shooting game or RPG, or an item that the player can acquire. The object may also be a block in a crafting game. Furthermore, spectators may be allowed to place objects they own within the game. In this case, the objects may or may not be consumed (removed from the player's ownership list). The mode transition unit 212 may change the contents of the interactive mode to change the types of objects that spectators can place, the number of objects they can place, the position and timing of object placement, or the types of objects, placement positions, and timings that spectators can specify. In addition, the content of the interactive mode may include spectators playing the game that the player is playing (playing against or cooperating with the player, or taking over the controls), and the contents of the interactive mode may change not only the placement of objects but also the ability for spectators to play against or cooperate with the player.

[0054] Alternatively, the system may enter a preparation phase when transitioning to (or after) interactive mode, after which the content of the involvement is reflected in the game (transitioning to the execution phase), or it may enter a preparation phase when the mode transition conditions are met, after which it transitions to interactive mode and the content of the involvement is reflected in the game.

[0055] Furthermore, the involvement content determination unit 214 may, during the preparation phase, present to the spectator the selection status of other spectators, or whether there is any overlap between the spectator's involvement content (the involvement content specified in the preparation phase) and the involvement content of other spectators (by controlling the display unit of the spectator's terminal 10 to display the selection status and whether there is any overlap). Alternatively, the involvement content determination unit 214 may determine the involvement content to be actually reflected in the game based on the degree of overlap between the spectator's involvement content and the involvement content of other spectators.

[0056] Figure 3 shows an example of a functional block diagram of terminal 10 in this embodiment. Note that the terminal in this embodiment may have a configuration in which some of the components (parts) in Figure 3 are omitted.

[0057] The input unit 150 is a device for receiving (detecting) input information from the player and outputs the player's input information (operation information) to the processing unit 100. The functions of the input unit 150 can be realized by input devices such as a touch panel, touchpad, mouse, directional keys or buttons, or keyboard.

[0058] The memory unit 170 stores programs and various data necessary for the computer to function as a part of the processing unit 100, and also functions as a work area for the processing unit 100, the functionality of which can be realized by a hard disk, RAM, etc. The memory unit 170 stores the standard operations that the player should perform during the game.

[0059] The display unit 190 outputs game images generated by the processing unit 100, and this function can be realized by a display such as a touch panel, LCD, or HMD (head-mounted display), which also functions as the input unit 150.

[0060] The sound output unit 192 outputs sound generated by the processing unit 100, and this function can be realized by a speaker or headphones.

[0061] The communication unit 196 performs various controls for communication with the server 20 and other terminals 10, and its functions can be realized by hardware such as various processors or communication ASICs, or by programs.

[0062] Furthermore, the server 20 may receive programs and various data for operating the computer as parts of the processing unit 100 stored in its information storage medium or storage unit via the network, and store the received programs and data in the storage unit 170. This method of receiving programs and various data to operate the terminal is also included within the scope of the present invention.

[0063] The processing unit 100 (processor) performs processes such as game progression, image generation, and sound generation based on input information (operation information) from the input unit 150, programs, and data received via the communication unit 196. The functions of the processing unit 100 can be realized by hardware such as various processors (CPU, DSP, etc.) and ASICs (gate arrays, etc.) or by programs. The processing unit 100 of the player's terminal 10 includes a game control unit 110, an image generation unit 120, and a sound generation unit 130.

[0064] The game control unit 110 controls the game based on the player's actions. When the player's terminal 10 starts the game, the game control unit 110 sends information to the server 20 to notify it that the game has started, and during the game, it sends player action information and game progress to the server 20 as needed. Based on the information sent from the player's terminal 10, the server 20 performs spectator control processing and updates various data associated with each player. Furthermore, when the player's terminal 10 receives a notification from the server 20 that the preparation phase has started, the game control unit 110 stops the game, and when it receives a notification from the server 20 that the preparation phase has ended, it resumes the game and reflects the content of the involvement in the game based on the information received from the server 20 (for example, placing an object of the type specified in the preparation phase in the game at a specified location and at a specified time).

[0065] Furthermore, the game control unit 110 of the spectator's terminal 10 sends information to the server 20 to notify (request) that it will start watching the game, and in response, based on the information sent from the server 20, it displays the game screen of the game being played by the player on the display unit 190. Also, when the game control unit 110 of the spectator's terminal 10 receives notification from the server 20 that the preparation phase has started, it displays the game screen of the preparation phase on the display unit 190, accepts the spectator's input to specify the content of their involvement on the game screen (for example, the type of object to place, the position and timing of the object to place), and sends information regarding the result of the input and the specified content to the server 20. Then, based on the information sent from the server 20 after the preparation phase has ended, it displays the game being played by the player. The game screen of the home is displayed on the display unit 190 (resumes watching the game).

[0066] Furthermore, the game control unit 110 may grant rewards to players and / or spectators based on the players' actions in response to the content of their involvement reflected in the game (for example, actions related to objects placed by spectators).

[0067] The image generation unit 120 performs drawing processing based on the results of various processes performed by the processing unit 100, thereby generating a game image and outputting it to the display unit 190. The image generation unit 120 may also generate an image (a so-called 3D image) that is visible from a virtual camera (a given viewpoint) within the object space (game space).

[0068] The sound generation unit 130 performs sound processing based on the results of various processes performed by the processing unit 100 to generate game sounds such as background music, sound effects, or voices, and outputs them to the sound output unit 192.

[0069] Furthermore, the game viewing system of this embodiment may be configured as a server system. The server system can consist of one or more servers (authentication server, game processing server, communication server, billing server, database server, etc.). In this case, the server viewing system performs processing in the processing unit 100 based on operation input (data entered into the input section of the terminal) transmitted from one or more terminals (e.g., smartphones, mobile phones, portable game consoles, etc.) connected via the network, generates image generation data for generating images, and transmits the generated image generation data to each terminal. Here, the image generation data is data for displaying the image generated by the method of this embodiment on each terminal, and may be the image data itself, or various data used by each terminal to generate images (object data, game processing result data, etc.). Thus, the processing of the game control unit 110, viewing control unit 210, mode transition unit 212, and involvement content determination unit 214 may all be configured to be executed on the server, all may be configured to be executed on the terminal, or may be configured to be executed in a distributed manner between the server and the terminals. This invention can be applied to game apps run on smartphones, game software for home game consoles, game software for PCs, browser games for smartphones and PCs, arcade game machines, and the like.

[0070] 2. The method of this embodiment Next, the method of this embodiment will be explained with reference to the drawings. The game viewing system of this embodiment is configured to run a game (music game) in which a player makes inputs in accordance with the music, and to allow spectators to watch (view) the game being played by the player.

[0071] Figure 4 shows an example of a game screen (game image) generated by the game viewing system of this embodiment. The game screen GI shown in Figure 4 is displayed on the display unit 190 (touch panel) of the player's terminal 10, and the player can input operations by touching the touch panel with their fingertip or a stylus (touch operation).

[0072] As shown in FIG. 4, on the game screen GI, a plurality of buttons BT that are targets of player's operation input (touch operation) are displayed. The plurality of buttons BT are displayed arranged in the lateral direction at the lower part of the game screen GI. Each button BT indicates a character to be used in the game. When playing the game, the player can arbitrarily select a character to be used in the game from a plurality of characters owned by the player.

[0073] Further, on the game screen GI, an instruction mark DS (an example of an object arranged in the game) for instructing the player of the timing of operation input is displayed. The instruction mark DS is associated with any one of the buttons BT, appears above the corresponding button BT, and moves toward the button BT (downward) at a constant speed. The instruction mark DS moves so as to reach the button BT at the reference timing for each instruction mark DS associated with the music data being played back.

[0074] The player can obtain points (a score) by performing a touch operation of selecting the button BT in time with the timing at which the instruction mark DS reaches the button BT. At this time, the smaller the deviation between the timing at which the instruction mark DS reaches the button BT (reference timing) and the timing of the operation of selecting the button BT (operation timing), the higher the evaluation value of the operation, and a higher score can be obtained. For example, when the deviation amount D between the player's operation timing and the reference timing is less than a predetermined value T1, the operation is evaluated as a great success and the highest evaluation value E1 is obtained; when the deviation amount D is equal to or more than the predetermined value T1 and less than a predetermined value T2 (T2>T1), the operation is evaluated as a success and the next highest evaluation value E2 (E2<E1) is obtained; when the deviation amount D is equal to or more than the predetermined value T2, the operation is evaluated as a failure and the lowest evaluation value E3 (E3<E2) is obtained. Further, the higher the value of the parameter of the character indicated by the operated button BT, the higher the score obtained.

[0075] Furthermore, the indicator DS is displayed to indicate the type (mode) of touch operation. In the example shown in Figure 4, the circular, plain indicator DS1 indicates a tap operation, the indicator DS2 with a right arrow inside the circle indicates a flick operation to the right, and the indicator DS3, which extends vertically, indicates a long tap operation. By performing the type of touch operation indicated by the indicator DS, the player can obtain a higher score (evaluation value) than by performing a different type of touch operation. For example, a high score can be obtained by performing a tap operation on button BT in time with the timing when indicator DS1 reaches button BT, and a high score can be obtained by performing a flick operation to the right on button BT in time with the timing when indicator DS2 reaches button BT. Also, a high score can be obtained by starting a long tap operation on button BT in time with the timing when the lower end of indicator DS3 reaches button BT, and ending the long tap operation in time with the timing when the upper end of indicator DS3 reaches button BT.

[0076] Figure 5 shows an example of a game screen GI displayed on the display unit 190 of the spectator's terminal 10. The game screen GI shown in Figure 5 displays the game image of the game being played by the player being watched by the spectator. In the game spectating system of this embodiment, spectators can send tips to the player playing the game they are watching (the player being watched). The game screen GI shown in Figure 5 displays a post button PB for sending a tip to the player being watched. When the spectator operates the post button PB, a dialog DL for specifying the tip amount is displayed, as shown in Figure 6. The dialog DL displays an input area IA for entering the tip amount. When the spectator enters an amount in the input area IA and operates the execute button RB, the in-game currency held by the spectator is consumed (decreased) by the entered amount (100 in the example shown in Figure 6), and an amount of in-game currency corresponding to the amount entered by the spectator (the same amount as the entered amount, or less than the entered amount) is given to the player being watched. Alternatively, instead of consuming in-game currency as payment, items owned by the spectator may be consumed, or payment may not be consumed at all. Furthermore, instead of (or in addition to) the ability to make tips, spectators may be allowed to post comments they have entered, or items and stamps they have selected. Posted items and stamps may or may not be consumed.

[0077] In this embodiment, it is determined whether the mode transition conditions have been met based on the spectator's viewing status, and if the mode transition conditions have been met, an interactive mode is available that allows the spectator to participate in the game. The game transitions to interactive mode. For example, the mode transition conditions may be met when a spectator makes a donation, or when the amount of the donation made by a spectator (the amount entered in input area IA) exceeds a predetermined value, and the game transitions to interactive mode, allowing the spectator to participate in the game. Alternatively, the mode transition conditions may be met when the number of spectators, the number of spectators who are friends with the player, the number of spectators who have made a donation, the cumulative number of donations made by multiple spectators, the total amount of donations, or the number of comments reach predetermined values, allowing the spectator (or, among the spectators, spectators who are friends with the player or who have made a donation) to participate in the game. In this case, the higher the spectator's skill level (or the greater the number, frequency, and amount of donations the spectator has made so far), or the more rapidly the number of spectators or the number and amount of donations increase (in the short term), the easier it is to meet the conditions for transitioning to interactive mode (to transition to interactive mode sooner), or the duration of the preparation phase and the interactive mode, as described later, may be extended.

[0078] Here, the viewing status may be displayed (presented in an understandable way) on the viewer's game screen GI. In the examples shown in Figures 5 and 6, numerical values ​​indicating the current viewing status (e.g., the amount of donations, total amount, cumulative number, number of viewers, etc.) are shown in the Gauge GA. The Gauge GA shows the relationship between the viewing status and the transition to interactive mode, and when the numerical value shown in the Gauge GA reaches the upper limit of the Gauge GA, the mode transition condition is met and the game transitions to interactive mode. In this way, it is possible to give viewers a sense of anticipation for the transition to interactive mode.

[0079] When the system switches to interactive mode, the game being played by the player stops, and a preparation phase is provided for the spectator to specify how they can participate in the game. In this embodiment, the spectator can participate in the game being played by the player by placing (adding) a new instruction sign DS to the game being played.

[0080] During the preparation phase, a window WD for specifying the placement of the instruction indicator DS is displayed on the display unit 190 of the spectator's terminal 10, as shown in Figure 7. If the game is not stopped during the preparation phase, the window WD is superimposed on the game screen GI that the spectator is watching. In addition to the button BT and instruction indicator DS, a slider bar SB is displayed in the window WD shown in Figure 7. The horizontal axis of the slider bar SB represents the time axis of the music data being played, with the left end of the slider bar SB indicating the start of the music and the right end indicating the end of the music. A slider SL that can be moved left and right is displayed on the slider bar SB. The position of the slider SL on the slider bar SB indicates the temporal position in the music data, and the window WD displays the instruction indicator DS that will be displayed on the game screen GI at the time corresponding to the position of the slider SL on the slider bar SB. By moving the slider SL to the right of the current position (the time when the interactive mode was entered), the spectator can display the instruction indicator DS that will be displayed on the game screen GI at a time in the future in the window WD. Then, in the window WD where an instruction indicator DS for any (future) point in time is displayed, the spectator can specify an arbitrary position above any button BT, and further specify the type of touch operation (tap, right flick, left flick, long tap), thereby adding and placing a new instruction indicator DS of any type that will be displayed on the game screen GI at any point in time (timing). In other words, the spectator can specify the timing and position where the instruction indicator DS will be placed, as well as the type of instruction indicator DS to be placed, by operating the slider SL in the window WD, specifying an arbitrary position above button BT, and specifying the type of touch operation. When the placement of a new instruction indicator DS is specified, information related to that instruction indicator DS (the reference timing indicated by that instruction indicator DS, the type of touch operation, and the button BT to be operated) is newly set in association with the music data. In addition, the spectator can use the existing (pre-set in association with music data) information in the window WD. The system may allow users to delete an instruction sign DS by specifying it, change the reference timing indicated by an existing instruction sign DS by specifying it and moving it up or down, change the button BT to be operated by an existing instruction sign DS by specifying it and moving it left or right, or change the type of touch operation indicated by an existing instruction sign DS by specifying it and performing a predetermined operation.

[0081] When a spectator performs a predetermined operation in the window WD to signal the end of the preparation phase, the game transitions to the execution phase and resumes, and the content specified by the spectator in the preparation phase is reflected in the game. That is, in the execution phase, the type of indicator marker DS (newly placed indicator marker DS) specified in the preparation phase is displayed on the game screen GI at the specified time and position. Alternatively, a time limit may be set for the preparation phase, and when that time limit expires, the preparation phase may end and the game may resume. Or, an upper limit may be set on the number of indicator markers DS that can be placed (or placed, deleted, or modified) in the preparation phase, and when that limit is reached, the preparation phase may end and the game may resume. Furthermore, the point at which the game resumes may be the point at which the game stopped, or a point slightly before the point at which it stopped.

[0082] In this embodiment, the content of the interactive mode may be changed based on the spectator's viewing status. For example, the larger the amount of tips given by a spectator (or the larger the cumulative number of tips from multiple spectators, the larger the total amount of tips, or the larger the number of spectators), the greater the number and types of indicator signs DS that the spectator can place in the preparation phase. Also, if the viewing status does not meet the conditions for changing the mode content (for example, if the amount of tips, the cumulative number of tips, the total amount of tips, or the number of spectators is below a predetermined value, or if there are no spectators with a predetermined relationship to the player), the spectator may not be able to specify the type of indicator sign DS to place in the preparation phase (only the timing and position of placement of the indicator sign can be specified), while if the viewing status meets the conditions for changing the mode content, the spectator may be able to specify the type of indicator sign DS to place in the preparation phase. Furthermore, if the spectator status satisfies the conditions for changing the mode content, spectators may be allowed to engage in cooperative play (for example, play where the player and spectator take turns operating button BT) or competitive play with the player in interactive mode (the game after it has resumed). In this way, when the content of the interactive mode changes depending on the spectator status, the relationship between the spectator status and the content of the interactive mode may be shown by a gauge GA, as shown in Figure 8. In the example shown in Figure 8, a first threshold for "mode transition" and a second threshold for "cooperative play" are shown as black triangles in relation to the gauge GA. When the value shown by the gauge (the value indicating the spectator status) reaches the first threshold, the mode transition condition is met and the game transitions to interactive mode. When the value shown by the gauge reaches the second threshold, the mode content change condition is met and cooperative play with the player becomes possible in interactive mode.

[0083] When the placement of indicator signs DS is specified by multiple spectators during the preparation phase, the window WD may display the indicator signs DS placed by other spectators (the selection status of other spectators) in an identifiable manner. In this case, if the indicator signs DS placed by a spectator overlap with those placed by other spectators (for example, multiple spectators specify the placement of indicator signs DS that indicate the same reference timing), the system may display an identifiable indication that the specifications overlap or the overlapping indicator signs DS (the overlapping situation). This allows spectators to specify the placement of indicator signs DS by referring to the selection status of other spectators and the overlapping situation with the specifications of other spectators, thereby improving spectator convenience. Among the instruction signs DS placed by spectators, only duplicate instruction signs DS may be displayed in an identifiable manner. Alternatively, if the specified content is duplicated, the instruction signs DS may be automatically arranged to resolve the duplication. For example, if multiple spectators specify the placement of instruction signs DS that indicate the same reference timing, the instruction signs DS may be arranged with a staggered reference timing for each (or any) of the specified instruction signs DS.

[0084] Furthermore, the specifications that will actually be reflected in the game may be determined based on the degree of overlap between the specifications of one spectator and those of other spectators. For example, it may be possible to prevent the specification of a placement of an indicator sign DS that overlaps with an indicator sign DS placed by another spectator, or it may be possible to specify such a placement but invalidate the specification. Conversely, it may be possible to make only the specification of an indicator sign DS that overlaps with an indicator sign DS placed by another spectator valid. It may also be possible to prioritize the validity of specification of an indicator sign DS that overlaps (or does not overlap) with an indicator sign DS placed by another spectator. For example, if it is necessary to overlap 10 indicator sign DS, and it is possible to overlap 9 indicator sign DS but not the remaining 1 indicator sign DS (for example, because there is no indicator sign DS placed by another spectator that can be overlapped), the specification of the 9 indicator sign DS may be made valid, and the specification of the 1 non-overlapping indicator sign DS may be made exceptionally valid. Furthermore, the actual content reflected in the game and the contribution of the placed instruction markers DS to the score may differ depending on whether the specified content is duplicated or not. For example, if multiple spectators specify the placement of instruction markers DS that indicate the same reference timing and instruct a long tap operation, the length (duration) of the long tap operation instructed by those instruction markers DS may be longer (or shorter) than when the specified content is not duplicated. Also, if multiple spectators specify the placement of instruction markers DS with duplicated content, the score obtained from the touch operation performed according to those instruction markers DS may be higher (or lower) than when the specified content is not duplicated.

[0085] Furthermore, players (and / or spectators) may be given rewards (game media, in-game currency, etc.) based on the players' actions in response to the content (content of involvement) specified by spectators reflected in the game. For example, in interactive mode, if a player performs a touch operation in accordance with an instruction sign DS placed by a spectator, the player or spectator may be given a reward. In this case, the content of the reward may be determined depending on whether the spectator's designation of the placement of the instruction sign DS overlaps with that of other spectators, and if there is an overlap, the content of the reward may be changed depending on whether the spectator and the other spectators have a predetermined relationship. Alternatively, the content of the reward may be determined based on the content of the player's touch operation in accordance with the instruction sign DS. Additionally, when a player performs a touch operation in accordance with an instruction sign DS placed by a spectator, information about the spectator who designated the placement of the instruction sign DS (information identifying the spectator, the content of the reward given to the spectator) may be notified to all spectators (or only the spectator). Furthermore, when a player performs a touch operation according to an instruction indicator DS, if the instruction indicator DS was placed by a spectator, the score obtained from that touch operation may be higher than if the instruction indicator DS was pre-set in association with music data. Also, a score may be awarded to the player according to the spectator's selection status (the number of instruction indicator DS whose placement was specified by the spectator, the number of spectators who specified the placement of the instruction indicator DS), with a higher score awarded to the player for a larger number or number of spectators. In this case, the score awarded according to the evaluation result of the player's touch operation and the score awarded according to the spectator's selection status may be displayed separately on the game screen GI, or they may be displayed together on the game screen GI. Also, a ranking may be displayed based on the score awarded according to the spectator's selection status. Players may be given rewards based on the number of people, with the rewards being more valuable the larger the number of people.

[0086] Furthermore, the spectator control unit 210 of the server 20 may present the results of the involvement to the spectator after the end of the game and / or the end of the interactive mode. For example, a replay image (replay video) showing how the player performed touch operations according to the instruction markers DS placed by the spectator in the interactive mode may be displayed on the display unit 190 of the spectator's terminal 10. Alternatively, a replay image showing how the spectator placed the instruction markers DS that contributed to the player's score may be displayed on the display unit 190 of the spectator's terminal 10 as an example of excellent involvement. Additionally, a ranking showing which spectator's placed instruction markers DS were operated on the most by the player may be displayed on the display unit 190 of the spectator's terminal 10.

[0087] Alternatively, one spectator may be selected from among several spectators by lottery or other means, and the selected spectator may be allowed to specify the placement of the instruction signs DS, or the selected spectator may be allowed to play cooperatively or competitively with the players. Alternatively, one spectator may be selected from among several spectators, and after the selected spectator (the first spectator) has specified the placement of the instruction signs DS, another spectator with a predetermined relationship to the first spectator (the second spectator) may be selected, and after the second spectator has specified the placement of the instruction signs DS, another spectator with a predetermined relationship to the second spectator (the third spectator) may be selected, and this process may be repeated. In this case, the content that can be specified by the later selected spectator may be determined according to the content specified by the earlier selected spectator. For example, if the earlier selected spectator specifies the placement of instruction signs DS related to tap operations, the later selected spectator may be allowed to specify only the placement of instruction signs DS related to tap operations, or conversely, only the placement of instruction signs DS related to operations other than tap operations.

[0088] According to this embodiment, when the mode transition conditions are met during a player's gameplay and the game transitions to interactive mode, spectators can participate in the gameplay. Furthermore, by providing a preparation phase that allows spectators to consider the content of their participation in advance (types of objects to place in the game, and the position and timing of their placement), it is possible to realize a game in which spectators can deeply participate in the player's gameplay without disrupting the game's balance. In addition, by determining whether the mode transition conditions have been met or changing the content of the interactive mode based on the spectators' viewing status (number of spectators, amount and number of tips, etc.), it is possible to strongly motivate spectators to enjoy watching the game. Moreover, by granting rewards to spectators based on the player's actions in response to the spectators' participation, or by presenting the results of their participation to the spectators, it is possible to motivate spectators to carefully consider the content of their participation.

[0089] 3. Processing Next, an example of the processing of the game viewing system of this embodiment will be explained using the flowcharts in Figures 9 and 10.

[0090] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the server 20. The spectator control unit 210 obtains operation information and the progress of the game from the player's terminal 10 (step S10), generates information necessary for viewing the game based on the acquired information, and transmits the generated information to the spectator's terminal 10 (step S11).

[0091] Next, the mode transition unit 212 determines whether the mode transition conditions have been met based on the spectators' viewing status (number of spectators, amount and number of donations, etc.) (step S12). If the mode transition conditions have been met (Y in step S12), the system switches to interactive mode. The system is migrated, and information notifying the player and spectator terminals 10 of this change is sent (step S13).

[0092] Next, the involvement content determination unit 214 acquires information regarding the spectator's operation results in the preparation phase from the spectator's terminal 10, and based on the acquired information, determines the content of the spectator's involvement in the game (the type of instruction sign DS to be placed in the game, the position and timing of placing the instruction sign DS) (step S14), and transmits information regarding the determined involvement content to the player and the spectator's terminal 10 (step S15). Next, the processing unit 200 determines whether the game being played by the player has ended or not (step S16), and if the game has not ended (N in step S16), it proceeds to step S10 and repeats the processing from step S10 onward until the game ends.

[0093] Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the player terminal 10. First, the processing unit 100 starts playing the music data (step S20). Next, the game control unit 110 controls the display of the instruction indicator DS on the game screen GI based on the reference timing for each instruction indicator DS set in association with the music data (step S21).

[0094] Next, the game control unit 110 determines whether or not the player has performed an operation (touch operation) on any of the buttons BT (step S22). If such an operation has occurred (Y in step S22), the game control unit 110 evaluates the content of the player's operation (step S23) and calculates a score based on the evaluation results (the discrepancy between the timing of the player's operation and the reference timing indicated by the indicator sign DS, and the match / mismatch between the type of touch operation performed by the player and the type of touch operation indicated by the indicator sign DS) (step S24).

[0095] Next, the game control unit 110 determines whether it has received information from the server 20 notifying it that it has transitioned to interactive mode (the preparation phase has started) (step S25). If it has received such information (Y in step S25), it stops the game from progressing (step S26). Next, the game control unit 110 determines whether it has received information from the server 20 regarding the content of participation (step S27). If it has received such information (Y in step S27), the game control unit 110 performs the process of reflecting the content of participation in the game based on the received information (setting the reference timing of the instruction marker DS, which is designated to be placed by the spectator, in correspondence with the music data) (step S28), and restarts the game (step S29). Next, the processing unit 100 determines whether the game (music playback) has ended (step S30). If the game has not ended (N in step S30), it proceeds to step S20 and repeats the processing from step S20 onward until the game ends.

[0096] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible. For example, terms cited as broad or synonymous in the specification or drawings may be replaced with broad or synonymous terms in other descriptions in the specification or drawings. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0097] 10...Terminal, 20...Server, 100...Processing Unit, 110...Game Control Unit, 120...Image Generation Unit, 130...Sound Generation Unit, 150...Input Unit, 170...Storage Unit, 190...Display Unit, 192...Sound Output Unit, 196...Communication Unit, 200...Processing Unit, 210...Viewing Control Unit, 212...Mode Transition Unit, 214...Participation Content Determination Unit, 270...Storage Unit, 272...Storage Unit, 296...Communication Unit

Claims

1. A game control unit that manages the game's progress through player input, A spectator control unit that presents to a spectator other than the player of the game in a way that allows them to understand at least a part of the content of the game being played by the player, A mode transition unit that, when predetermined mode transition conditions are met during gameplay, transitions to an interactive mode in which the spectator can participate in the game, The system includes a preparation phase for the spectator before the content of their involvement is reflected in the game, and an involvement content determination unit that determines the content of the involvement based on the spectator's selection during the preparation phase. The game control unit, In the interactive mode, the determined content of the involvement is reflected in the game. The aforementioned involvement content determination unit: A game spectator system characterized in that, in the preparation phase, it presents to the spectator the state of the game screen at a point in the future from the present time, and determines the content of the spectator's involvement based on the actions taken by the spectator in response to the presentation.

2. A game control unit that manages the game's progress through player input, A spectator control unit that presents to a spectator other than the player of the game in a way that allows them to understand at least a part of the content of the game being played by the player, A mode transition unit that, when predetermined mode transition conditions are met during gameplay, transitions to an interactive mode in which the spectator can participate in the game, The system includes a preparation phase for the spectator before the content of their involvement is reflected in the game, and an involvement content determination unit that determines the content of the involvement based on the spectator's selection during the preparation phase. The game control unit, In the interactive mode, the determined content of the involvement is reflected in the game. The mode transition unit is A game spectator system characterized by enabling the spectator to engage in cooperative or competitive play with the player in the interactive mode based on the spectator's viewing status.

3. In claim 1 or 2, The mode transition unit is A game viewing system characterized by controlling the transition to the interactive mode based on the viewing status of the aforementioned spectators.

4. In any one of claims 1 to 3, The mode transition unit is A game viewing system characterized by changing the content of the interactive mode based on the viewing status of the aforementioned spectators.

5. In any one of claims 2 to 4, The mode transition unit is A game viewing system characterized by determining the degree of excitement among the spectators as part of the viewing situation.

6. In any one of claims 2 to 5, The aforementioned viewing status is characterized by the status of a predetermined operation performed by the spectator that involves the consumption of a fee.

7. In any one of claims 2 to 6, The aforementioned viewing status is characterized by the presence or absence or number of spectators who have a predetermined relationship with the players.

8. In any one of claims 2 to 7, The aforementioned viewing control unit, A game viewing system characterized by presenting the viewing situation to the aforementioned spectators in a way that allows them to understand it.

9. In any one of claims 2 to 8, The aforementioned viewing control unit, A game viewing system characterized by presenting to the spectator in a way that allows them to understand the relationship between the viewing situation and the transition to the interactive mode.

10. In any one of claims 1 to 9, The aforementioned involvement is characterized by the placement of objects within the game, in a game spectator system.

11. In claim 10, The aforementioned involvement content determination unit: A game spectator system characterized by determining the content of the involvement based on the spectator's operation of selecting the timing at which the object is placed.

12. In any one of claims 1 to 11, The aforementioned involvement content determination unit: A game viewing system characterized in that, during the preparation phase, it presents to the spectator in a way that allows them to understand the selection status of other spectators.

13. In any one of claims 1 to 12, The aforementioned involvement content determination unit: A game viewing system characterized in that, in the preparation phase, it presents to the spectator in a way that allows them to understand whether or not there is any overlap between the content of the spectator's involvement and the content of other spectators' involvement.

14. In any one of claims 1 to 13, The aforementioned involvement content determination unit: A game spectator system characterized by determining the content of the involvement to be reflected in the game based on the degree of overlap between the content of the involvement of the aforementioned spectator and the content of the involvement of other spectators.

15. In any one of claims 1 to 14, The game control unit, A game viewing system characterized by granting benefits to the player and / or the spectator based on the player's actions in relation to the content of the involvement reflected in the game.

16. A game control unit that manages the game's progress through player input, A spectator control unit that presents to a spectator other than the player of the game in a way that allows them to understand at least a part of the content of the game being played by the player, A mode transition unit that, when predetermined mode transition conditions are met during gameplay, transitions to an interactive mode in which the spectator can participate in the game, The system includes a preparation phase for the spectator before the content of their involvement is reflected in the game, and an involvement content determination unit that determines the content of the involvement based on the spectator's selection during the preparation phase. The game control unit, In the interactive mode, the determined content of the involvement is reflected in the game. The aforementioned involvement content determination unit: A server device characterized in that, in the preparation phase, it presents to the spectator the state of the game screen at a point in the future from the present time, and determines the content of the involvement based on the actions taken by the spectator in response to the presentation.

17. A game control unit that manages the game's progress through player input, A spectator control unit that presents to a spectator other than the player of the game in a way that allows them to understand at least a part of the content of the game being played by the player, A mode transition unit that, when predetermined mode transition conditions are met during gameplay, transitions to an interactive mode in which the spectator can participate in the game, The system includes a preparation phase for the spectator before the content of their involvement is reflected in the game, and an involvement content determination unit that determines the content of the involvement based on the spectator's selection during the preparation phase. The game control unit, In the interactive mode, the determined content of the involvement is reflected in the game. The mode transition unit is A server device characterized by enabling the spectator to engage in cooperative or competitive play with the player in the interactive mode, based on the spectator's viewing status.

Images