Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To provide an information processing device, information processing method and program for constructing a game environment in which substitution of raising of a game object can be positively used.SOLUTION: An information processing device includes a request reception part receiving a request from a first player to substitute raising of a game object, a substitution processing part causing a second player to raise the game object, and a return processing part, when a completion condition is satisfied, executing first return processing of returning to the first player, the game object with a parameter to be set based on the raising executed by the second player, and when an interruption condition is satisfied, executing second return processing of returning the game object to the first player before the raising is completed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, games in which game objects such as characters are developed and made to participate in in-game events have been known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a game in which a player develops (trains) a racehorse he owns to improve its performance, and then enters the developed racehorse in races to compete for ranking.

[0003] In a game in which a racehorse is trained as in Patent Document 1, the racehorse is trained multiple times in order to bring the horse's ability to a desired level, but the more training is performed, the more time and effort is required for operations, etc. In particular, a player may own many racehorses to be trained. If a player owns many racehorses to be trained, the training time and effort becomes even greater, and it may be difficult for the player to train all of them by himself. To deal with such cases, there are games in which a computer (game system) automatically trains the horses on behalf of the player. However, when the training is left to the computer, the training results rarely meet the player's expectations, and the player often gets a better result if he or she trains the horses himself, which has caused dissatisfaction among the players.

[0004] On the other hand, among games played by communicating with other players via a network, there are games in which, instead of the player playing an event in the game, the other player can play the event on the player's behalf. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a game in which another player plays a mission in the game on the player's behalf, and when the mission is cleared, the other player is provided with a predetermined reward.

[0005] In Patent Document 2, other players complete missions in a game on behalf of the player, and it does not actually raise game objects owned by the player. However, if the play proxy system described in Patent Document 2 is applied to a game in which objects are raised, a player who owns a game object to be raised can request that another player raise the game object on his or her behalf. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-198231 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2018-011632 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, when a player who owns a game object to be raised requests another player to raise the game object on his / her behalf, the requesting player may be dissatisfied with the raising result. For example, the success or failure of raising a game object depends largely on the player's skill and playing environment, etc., so depending on the skill and playing environment of the other player who is entrusted with the raising proxy, the raising result may not be the desired result. In addition, compared to playing and clearing a mission, raising a game object is perceived as a boring and troublesome task, so there is a risk that the other player who is entrusted with the raising proxy may not take the raising seriously, for example, by cutting corners. Due to the existence of the above risks, players who own a game object to be raised cannot feel safe in requesting a raising proxy, and may hesitate to use a raising proxy.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program for constructing a game environment in which game object raising proxy can be actively utilized. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] An information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention has a request receiving unit that receives a request from a first player to raise a game object on behalf of the first player, a proxy processing unit that causes a second player to raise the game object, and a return processing unit that, if a completion condition is met, executes a first return process that returns a game object having parameters set based on the raising performed by the second player to the first player, and, if an interruption condition is met, executes a second return process that returns the game object to the first player before the raising is completed. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, a game environment can be created in which the proxy raising of game objects can be actively utilized. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a game screen, showing an example of a screen for selecting a training course. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a game screen, showing an example of a screen for requesting a training proxy. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a game screen, showing an example of a screen displaying a list of horses for which training is requested. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a game screen, and shows an example of a screen of a list of people who wish to be entrusted with a game. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a game screen, showing an example of a screen for confirming substitute training. [Figure 6A] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of the state of a target horse returned in the second return process. [Figure 6B] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of the state of a target horse returned in the second return process. [Figure 6C] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of the state of a target horse returned in the second return process. [Figure 7] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an information processing device system according to the present invention; [Figure 8] 1 is a block diagram showing functions of an information processing device according to the present invention; [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of player information stored in a storage unit. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of race horse information stored in a storage unit. [Figure 11] 13 is a diagram showing an example of substitute training request information stored in a storage unit; FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of substitute training status information stored in a storage unit. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to the present invention (part 1). [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to the present invention (part 2). [Figure 15] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to the present invention (part 3). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An information processing device, an information processing method, and a program according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiment described below is merely an example given to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention may be modified or improved from the embodiment described below without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Naturally, the present invention also includes equivalents thereof.

[0013] Furthermore, the examples of screens described in this specification and the drawings are merely examples, and the screen configuration and design, content of the displayed information, and GUI (Graphical User Interface), etc. can be freely designed according to the system design specifications and the preferences of the player, and can also be changed as appropriate.

[0014] [Games to which this invention can be applied] Before describing the information processing device, information processing method, and program of the present invention, a game to which the present invention is applied (hereinafter, referred to as the Game) will be described. The Game is a genre of game in which a player develops a "game object" within the game and uses the developed game object to play an "event" within the game.

[0015] "Game Object" means a virtual character used by the player of the Game to play each event in the game, and is the subject of development by the player in the Game. "Character" includes people, living things such as animals and plants, machines such as vehicles and robots, non-machine objects, imaginary characters such as monsters, or other characters similar to these.

[0016] An "event" is, for example, an incident such as an accident that occurs during the progress of a game, a quest, stage, or mission that is played for the purpose of clearing, or an in-game competition in which game objects participate. Examples of in-game competitions include races in which participants compete for finishing order, and matches or battles in which players compete for victory or defeat.

[0017] In this embodiment, a horse racing-themed simulation game will be described as an example in which the goal is to own an excellent racehorse and win major races or many races. Specifically, a player acquires a racehorse, which is a representative example of a game object, by "producing", "drawing", purchasing, etc., and "raise" the racehorse to enter various "races" and compete for rankings. In addition, a player can own multiple racehorses at the same time and raise the multiple racehorses in parallel. Furthermore, retired racehorses can be used as home-grown stallions or broodmares to produce the next generation of racehorses. In the following description, a racehorse will be taken as an example of a game object, but the present invention is also applicable to games in which objects other than racehorses are bred.

[0018] "Breeding" refers to mating a breeding stallion and a broodmare selected by the player to generate a racehorse to be bred. Breeding stallions and broodmares can be obtained by lottery or purchase, and can also be used by using a racehorse bred by the player as a breeding stallion or broodmare after retirement, thus allowing for successive generations. In addition, in this game, the abilities of the breeding stallion and broodmare used as parent horses tend to be passed on to the racehorses produced. Therefore, it can be said that it is easier to produce a racehorse with high abilities by using a breeding stallion or broodmare with high abilities as a parent horse. As will be described later, this game is a communication play compatible game, so breeding stallions, broodmares, or racehorses owned by other players can also be used for production.

[0019] A "lottery" is a type of event in which a player can acquire game objects or items such as racehorses, stallions, or broodmares by spending a predetermined "value" possessed in the game. The lottery is conducted in response to a lottery application from the player while playing the game. In the lottery, a plurality of game objects with different winning probabilities are prepared as candidates, and one or a predetermined number of game objects are selected from the plurality of candidate game objects, and the player can acquire the selected game objects as the lottery result.

[0020] "Value" refers to a value whose quantity held within a game increases or decreases, and specifically refers to "in-game currency", which is the currency that can be used within the game, or "items", which give an advantage in the game the more you hold.

[0021] "In-game currency" refers to something that has a monetary aspect within a game, such as medals or coins, and is included in the broad definition of items. In-game currency is, for example, exchanged for characters or other items, or spent when playing a specific event within the game (a race or a lottery, etc.). The amount of in-game currency possessed by a player can be increased, for example, when the player logs into the game and starts the game, or when the player wins a race, but it decreases when a lottery is held, a player registers to participate in a race, or when training (training) as described below is performed.

[0022] "Items" are used to advance the game to an advantage, and can be used by the player in scenes such as production, lotteries, training, races, etc. Items include, for example, feed that restores a racehorse's fatigue or body weight, horse equipment that changes the appearance or abilities of a racehorse, riding request tickets that allow a skilled jockey to ride in a race, lottery tickets that execute a special lottery, breeding stallions or broodmares that increase the probability of producing a highly skilled racehorse, or talismans that increase the probability of producing a highly skilled racehorse, etc.

[0023] "Raising" refers to changing the parameters of a racehorse by operations such as consuming the value possessed in the game, and "training" is provided as a form of raising in this game. The parameters of a racehorse are the characteristics of the racehorse related to the progress of the game, i.e., the ability of the racehorse, evaluated by numerical values ​​or symbols, and specifically include those that affect the outcome of a race, such as stamina, speed, power, distance suitability, track suitability, horse weight, and fatigue level. The parameters of a racehorse also include past race performance (race history), such as the number of past races, the number of wins in races, and the winning rate. The parameters of a racehorse may include items that the player can check and items that the player cannot check (masked items).

[0024] In this embodiment, a training period is set for each racehorse, and the player can train racehorses that have remaining training periods. The training period is the number of days set as in-game time, for example, N weeks in the game (N is any natural number). Here, in-game time refers to time that passes within the game and passes at a faster rate than real time. For example, when the player performs a specific operation (hereinafter referred to as a weekly operation) once, a week passes in the game, which is about a few minutes in real time. Note that racehorses that have passed the training period will retire, but as described above, they can be used for production as breeding stallions or broodmares.

[0025] In this game, training can be performed once per weekly operation, i.e., per week in game time. Usually, the parameters of a racehorse gradually increase as the number of weeks of training (hereinafter also referred to as the number of training weeks) increases. On the other hand, for example, a predetermined event (accident) such as an injury may occur to a racehorse being trained in the game, in which case the parameters of the racehorse may decrease or return to the state before training. The number of times training can be performed in one weekly operation is not particularly limited, and training may be performed two or more times.

[0026] When training is performed, a menu list ML related to the training course is displayed on the screen as shown in FIG. 1. The training course is an example of a training mode for a racehorse. In this game, multiple types of courses are prepared, and the content of the training changes depending on the type of course. The player performs training by specifying one of the multiple training courses listed in the menu list ML. The type and amount of change of parameters changed by training vary depending on the specified training course and intensity. For example, in "Course A", stamina can be increased with a focus, and in "Course B", speed can be increased with a focus. In addition, the degree of increase of parameters differs depending on the intensity (light, normal, strong, etc.). Note that parameters do not necessarily have to increase in one training session. For example, when training is performed by specifying a certain type of training course, a specific parameter may increase while other parameters may decrease, and the parameters may not always change regularly. In addition, the amount of increase of parameters by training may change depending on the amount of value consumed.

[0027] In addition, in this game, the player owns a stable (hereinafter referred to as a farm) in the game and trains the racehorses. A grade (rank) is set for the farm, and the higher the grade of the farm in which the racehorse to be trained is kept, the more training facilities there are, and the greater the parameter increase due to training. The grade of the farm can be changed, and the player can upgrade his or her farm by, for example, paying a fee for this game or performing a specified operation (for example, an operation to consume in-game currency in the game).

[0028] A "race" is the main event of this game, and in principle, is held every week in game time based on the race calendar. When a player wants to enter a racehorse that has been trained (including racehorses in the process of training) in such a race, the player designates which racehorse he / she owns to enter in the race (if he / she owns multiple racehorses), registers the horse to enter in the race he / she wishes to enter, and enters the registered racehorse in the race on the day the race is held in game time. The outcome of the racehorse is determined based on the parameters of each of the racehorses, including the racehorse, at the time of the race, the weather on the day the race is held, and environmental conditions such as the ground conditions of the racecourse.

[0029] When a racehorse owned by a player wins a race (takes first place) or places within a predetermined ranking, a predetermined amount of in-game currency or item value is awarded to the player who trained the racehorse as a prize or secondary prize. The amount of in-game currency or type of item awarded is determined, for example, according to the type of race entered and the finishing position (achievement). In addition to the above value, the right to participate in special races (limited races) that cannot normally be entered may be awarded. In this embodiment, participating in a race does not mean that the racehorse has been trained (parameters such as fatigue level change, but parameters such as stamina, speed, and power at least do not improve), but participation in a race may also be included as a form of training.

[0030] Incidentally, this game is a communication play compatible game, and multiple players can play this game together through communication networks such as the Internet and mobile communication lines. For example, in this game, multiple players can compete with each other by having their own racehorses enter the same race in races held every week during in-game time, as well as in races where horses raised by players can compete against each other (online type competitive races).

[0031] In addition, in this game, a player can have another player train a racehorse owned by the other player (hereinafter referred to as "training proxy").

[0032] "Raising substitute" refers to setting the authority to raise a racehorse owned by a player who requests the raising substitute to another player who undertakes (accepts) the raising substitute, and in terms of the game process, the racehorse related to the raising substitute is entrusted to the farm of another player, and the parameters of the entrusted racehorse are changed based on the operation of the other player. In addition, in this game, the player who requested the raising substitute cannot raise the racehorse related to the raising substitute during the raising substitute. However, this is not limited to this, and the player who requested the raising substitute may be able to raise the racehorse related to the raising substitute during the period of the raising substitute. Note that even if the player who requested the raising substitute progresses the game during the period of the raising substitute, that is, even if the player advances the in-game time by performing a weekly task operation, the progress of the game does not affect the racehorse related to the raising substitute.

[0033] Below, we will explain the subject of racehorse training agency. In the following, the player who requests the training agency will be called the "first player," the player who accepts the training agency will be called the "second player," and the racehorse for which the first player requests training agency will be called the "target horse."

[0034] When requesting the substitution of the first player for training the target horse, the first player specifies various request items through the game screen as shown in FIG. 2. The specified request items include the training period and the training conditions. The training period (substitution period) is the period during which the first player requests the substitution of the target horse, and is the period expressed in real time (more specifically, real date) rather than in-game time. The training conditions are the conditions for the substitution of the first player that the second player requests, and specifically, are the contents specified by the first player as a training policy regarding the training mode during the substitution of the horse. Examples of the training mode include the number of training weeks to be reached during the substitution of the horse, the training course, the type of parameter to be increased, the increase amount or target value of the parameter, the time of the race debut during the substitution of the horse, and the number of races to be entered (including 0 times) or the number of race wins during the substitution of the horse. Incidentally, the in-game time of the first player and the second player are different to begin with (for example, the in-game time of the first player may be the first week of April, while the in-game time of the second player may be the fourth week of December), and so depending on the timing of the request for substitute training, the horse may not be able to participate in races where the age of the horse is limited by the time of stable entry. For this reason, some first players may have a need to specify the time of stable entry for their training character, and in order to meet this need, it may also be possible to specify the time of race debut (the week the target horse is stabled in the in-game time of the second player).

[0035] Furthermore, in order to match the in-game times of the first and second players, the second player may be allowed to start raising the target horse when the in-game time of the second player becomes the in-game time corresponding to the in-game time of the first player at the time when the second player accepts the training substitution (or the first player requests the training substitution). For example, if the in-game time of the first player is the first week of April and the in-game time of the second player is the fourth week of December at the time when the second player accepts the training substitution, the second player may not be able to start raising the target horse until he advances his own in-game time to the first week of April.

[0036] The target horse for which the above various conditions have been set by the first player is posted on the list of horses requested for training HL shown in FIG. 3, and the information is shared among multiple players who are potential recipients (strictly speaking, players other than the first player). The scope of information shared may be limited to players who have been registered in advance as those willing to be entrusted with the training of the target horse. When a player who is a potential recipient wishes to be entrusted with training a horse among the multiple target horses posted on the list of horses requested for training HL, the player selects the relevant target horse and enters as a person wishing to be entrusted with training the target horse. It is also possible to check details such as the abilities and requests for each target horse by tapping the details button in the list of horses requested for training HL.

[0037] After the first player specifies the requested items, if there are entries from other players wishing to be entrusted with the horse of the first player's choice, information on the multiple players wishing to be entrusted with the horse is posted on the entrustment applicants list JL shown in FIG. 4. In addition to the name or ID of the player wishing to be entrusted with the horse, the entrustment applicants list JL also lists the grade of the farm and the number of times the player has been entrusted with the horse as a training agent, as a performance record of the horse training agent. The first player selects one of the multiple players on the entrustment applicants list JL who is deemed suitable to be entrusted with the horse training agent role. In this embodiment, the number of players that can be selected is limited to one, but multiple players may be selected.

[0038] After the selection of the person wishing to be entrusted with the horse, the selected player is notified of the horse-raising substitute request from the first player. The player who receives the notification decides whether or not to accept the horse-raising substitute role through the confirmation screen CS shown in Fig. 5. The player who decides to accept the horse-raising substitute role acts as the second player and can raise the horse by his / her own operation during the training period specified by the first player, specifically, can train the horse at his / her own farm.

[0039] It is also possible to impose restrictions on the number of target horses that the second player can accept at the same time (including cases where some of the training substitution periods overlap). For example, the number of target horses that can be accepted at the same time may be limited to one, and multiple target horses cannot be accepted at the same time. It is also possible to restrict the number of target horses that can be accepted from other players (players other than the first player) but not from the same player at the same time, or to allow multiple target horses to be accepted from the same player but not from other players at the same time.

[0040] When the second player's substitute training is completed normally by satisfying the "completion condition," the substitute training authority set for the second player is released / invalidated, the parameters of the target horse are changed based on the result of the substitute training, and the training authority for the target horse is returned to the first player (first return process). In the game, the target horse that was left at the farm of the second player is returned to the farm of the first player, so hereinafter, the return of the substitute training authority for the target horse from the second player to the first player is also referred to as "the target horse being returned to the first player." Then, when the substitute training is completed by satisfying the completion condition and the target horse is returned to the first player, a "reward" is given to the second player.

[0041] A "completion condition" is a condition for successfully completing the training agency and executing the first return process. For example, a completion condition occurs when the training period specified by the first player expires, or when the training conditions specified by the first player are achieved (such as when parameters increase to target values ​​or when a specified race is won).

[0042] A "reward" is a value or right granted to the second player in return for acting as a training agent. The type (content) or amount of reward may be changed depending on the results of the training agent acted by the second player, specifically, the number of weeks of training during the training agent act, or the increase in a parameter due to the training agent act. In addition, multiple types of rewards may be granted in combination. By changing the type (content) or amount granted, or by combining multiple types of rewards, rewards can be made more advantageous to the second player.

[0043] The rewards include in-game currency or items, etc. transferred from the first player to the second player as a reward (the amount of in-game currency or items, etc. owned by the first player decreases depending on the number of transfers), in-game currency or items, etc. given to the second player as a bonus regardless of the first player (the amount of in-game currency or items, etc. owned by the first player does not decrease depending on the number of transfers), and also the rights listed below. (a) The right for the second player to use the returned horse in the game. Specifically, this includes the right for the second player to borrow the returned target horse from the first player and use it in an in-game event such as a race, or the right for the second player to borrow the returned target horse from the first player and produce a new racehorse, i.e., the right to use the target horse as a breeding stallion or broodmare. (b) The second player has the right to obtain at least a portion of the value that the first player has gained by entering the returned target horse in a race. Specifically, this includes the second player obtaining X% (for example, 10%) of the in-game currency acquired by the target horse, the same item as the acquired item or a related item (for example, if the acquired item is an item that recovers fatigue 100%, an item that recovers fatigue 30%), or, if the horse has earned the right to participate in a special race, the right to participate in that special race, etc. (c) The right to have the name and other information of the second player registered in the attributes of the returned horse. Specifically, this includes cases where the name of the second player is displayed as the trainer of the target horse.

[0044] On the other hand, if the second player's substitution training meets the "interruption condition," even if the substitution training is in progress, the substitution training authority set for the second player is cancelled / invalidated, and the training authority for the target horse is returned to the first player (second return process). Note that, unlike the first return process, if the substitution training ends after meeting the interruption condition, the second player is not given the above reward.

[0045] The "interruption condition" is a condition for interrupting the training substitution of the target horse and executing the second return process before the completion condition is met, and whether or not the interruption condition is met is determined based on the "training progress" or "training level" of the target horse, as well as based on the will of the first player who requested the training substitution. Note that if the training progress or training level of the target horse meets the interruption condition (for example, if any one of the conditions specified here is met), the second return process may be executed automatically, or even if any one of the conditions specified based on the training progress or training level is met, the second return process may not be executed unless the first player makes a return request and indicates his / her intention to interrupt the training substitution.

[0046] "Training progress" refers to the amount of time in the game that the second player has spent training the horse on behalf of the horse. Specifically, it refers to the number of weeks of training that have passed up to a certain point during the training period (the number of weeks that have been used up by advancing the game time by performing weekly task operations).

[0047] The "degree of training" is an index showing the extent to which the target horse has been trained during the training proxy period, and is calculated based on, for example, the parameter value that has increased since the start of the training proxy (including past race results such as the number of races entered and the number of wins), or the parameter increase rate (current parameter value / parameter value at the start of the training proxy), or the amount of value consumed during the training proxy period, i.e., the amount and quality of in-game currency or items, etc., spent on the training proxy. The degree of training may or may not be visible to the first player and the second player. Also, it may be possible for only the first player or the second player to view it. Note that, as described above, the parameter value may include items that the player cannot view. In that case, the player cannot view the degree of training related to the parameter. On the other hand, since the amount of value consumed is measurable, it is preferable to use the degree of training calculated based on the amount of value consumed as the degree of training that the player can view.

[0048] Below, the cases where the interruption conditions are satisfied will be explained for each case. When the first player makes a request to return the target horse (return request), that is, when the first player cancels the training substitution of the target horse based on his / her will, this satisfies the interruption condition. In this case, the first player may be able to freely request the return at any time without conditions, or the first player may be able to request the return only when the training progress or training degree satisfies the interruption condition. Note that the second player may also be able to cancel the training substitution being accepted midway.

[0049] In addition, in the case where the training substitution is interrupted based on the training progress of the target horse, if the training progress of the target horse does not satisfy the first condition until a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the start of the training substitution, the interruption condition is met. Specifically, if the number of weeks of training in the game time at the time when a certain time (for example, one week) has elapsed in real time since the second player started the training substitution of the target horse falls below a predetermined number of weeks set as the first condition, the interruption condition is met. The first condition here may be the number of weeks of training set by the first player when requesting the training substitution or at any timing, or may be the number of weeks of training set automatically in advance. Also, it may be the number of weeks of training specified based on the training period (real time) set when requesting the training substitution. In this embodiment, if the training progress does not satisfy the first condition, a notification to that effect is sent to the first player, and the first player who receives the notification can decide whether or not to return the target horse. It may be set in advance so that if the training progress does not satisfy the first condition, the target horse in the middle of the training substitution is automatically returned to the first player.

[0050] When the first player receives the notification, he or she can continue the training substitution at his or her will without requesting the return of the target horse. That is, even if the training progress by the second player does not reach the first condition within the predetermined period, the same second player can continue the training substitution. In this case, if the number of training weeks in the game time falls below the predetermined number of weeks set as the second condition before the continuation period set after the predetermined period in real time has elapsed (for example, one more week after the predetermined period has elapsed), the interruption condition is met again. The second condition may be the number of training weeks set by the first player when requesting the training substitution or at any timing (for example, at the start of the continuation period), or may be the number of training weeks that is automatically set in advance. It may also be the number of training weeks specified based on the training period (real time) set when requesting the training substitution, or the consumed or remaining period of the training period.

[0051] In this embodiment, the second condition set as the interruption condition during the continuation period is set to be stricter than the first condition set as the interruption condition during the predetermined period. For example, if the first condition is to advance the number of weeks of development by 30 in one week, the following condition is an example of the strict condition: (a) Advance 40 weeks of training in one week. In other words, the second condition sets a stricter quota for the number of weeks to be completed than for training within a specified period. (b) Advance the number of weeks of development by 60 weeks in one week. In other words, the second condition is set strictly to make up for any delays in development that occur within a certain period of time. (c) Advance the number of weeks of development by 30 in three days. In other words, in the second condition, the period during which the same amount of development can be performed as within the specified period is set shorter than the specified period (the deadline is set stricter).

[0052] In addition, when the training substitution is interrupted based on the training level of the target horse, if the training level of the target horse does not meet the "reference value" from the start of the training substitution until a specified event occurs, i.e., until a certain period of time has passed since the start of the training substitution, the interruption condition is met. For example, if the parameter value falls below the reference value before the number of weeks of training has passed, the interruption condition is met. In addition, if the amount of value consumed by the second player falls below the reference value before a specified race is held, the interruption condition is met.

[0053] The "reference value" is a value that is a reference for determining whether the level of training satisfies the interruption condition, and specifically, it specifies the value of a parameter that has increased since the start of the training substitution (including race results such as the number of times a certain race has been entered and the number of times a certain race has been won), the rate of increase of the parameter, or the amount of value consumed during the training substitution period. The reference value differs for each training substitution or for each target horse, and may be a value set by the first player when requesting the training substitution or at any time, or a value that is automatically set based on the requested items such as training conditions specified by the first player, or the ability (including potential ability) or personality of the target horse estimated based on the background of the target horse such as the pedigree or age. If it is set based on the pedigree, for example, if the parent horse of the target horse has a track record of winning a G1 race, the reference value may be set to be that the target horse also wins a G1 race of the same grade. Also, the parameters of the parent horse of the subject horse at a certain time (for example, parameters at the time when the horse is 3 years old and December months old) may be stored as reference values, and the parameters of the subject horse up to the same time (parameters up to the time when the horse is 3 years old and December months old) may be compared with these reference values. Note that, like the level of training, the reference values ​​may or may not be visible to the first and second players. Also, the reference values ​​may be visible only to either the first or second player.

[0054] As described above, if the interruption condition is met, the second return process will be executed, but in the second return process, the parameters of the target horse to be returned will differ depending on the interruption situation, i.e., the timing at which the second return process is executed, etc.

[0055] For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, when the second return process is executed before the predetermined period has elapsed, the target horse is returned to the first player with the parameters (P0) at the start of the training proxy, that is, the parameters have not changed since the training proxy request, rather than the parameters (P1) that have changed due to the training proxy by the second player from the start of the training proxy to the time of execution of the second return process (the time of interruption of the training proxy). In this way, if the training proxy has just started, the second return process returns the parameters to the state at the time of the training proxy request. Note that the predetermined period here may be a certain time in real time (for example, one week), or may be a period specified based on the training period set at the time of the training proxy request. It may also be a predetermined number of weeks in the game time. If it is in the game time, it may be the number of training weeks specified based on the training period (real time) set at the time of the training proxy request, or it may be the number of training weeks set based on the number of training weeks set as the training condition (for example, 30 weeks when the number of training weeks set as the training condition is set to 120 weeks).

[0056] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 6B, when the second return process is executed after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the target horse is returned to the first player with the parameters (P2) that have changed due to the training substitution by the second player between the start of the training substitution and the time the second return process is executed, i.e., the latest parameter state at the time the second return process is executed. In this case, the target horse may be returned to the first player not only in the latest parameter state at the time of execution of the second return process, but also in any state between the start of the substitute training and the time of execution of the second return process (any state between P0 and P2), for example, in the state of parameters at the time of the passage of a predetermined period of time (P3). Furthermore, the target horse may be returned to the first player in the state of parameters at an arbitrary time designated by the first player. When returning the target horse with parameters at an arbitrary time, the first player may be permitted to designate the arbitrary time on the condition that a predetermined item is consumed. At this time, the consumption amount of the predetermined item may be changed depending on the length of the period that has passed since the start of the substitute training. In other words, the consumption amount of the predetermined item may be increased as the designated arbitrary time is closer to the start of the substitute training (the longer the period to be returned).

[0057] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6C, if a predetermined event (such as a direct reason for interrupting the training substitution), such as an injury, occurs due to a weekly task operation in a certain week during the training substitution, the parameters of the target horse may drop significantly. In this case, the target horse is returned to the first player not in the state of the parameters (P4) at the time of executing the second return process, but in the state of the parameters (P5) at the stage of training due to the weekly task operation in the week immediately preceding the week in which the predetermined event occurred (for example, in the first week of April if the horse was injured due to a weekly task operation in the second week of April), that is, in a state more advantageous to the first player. In this case, the horse may be allowed to return to the state before the occurrence of the predetermined event, on the condition that a predetermined item is consumed. At this time, the consumption amount of the predetermined item may be changed according to the type of the predetermined circumstance (such as a sore, fracture, or tendonitis), or the consumption amount of the predetermined item may be changed according to the amount of parameters that have dropped due to the predetermined event (such as a minor injury, a serious injury, or a poor prognosis). In other words, the greater the influence of the predetermined event (the greater the amount of parameters that are recovered), the greater the consumption amount of the predetermined item may be.

[0058] During the substitute training, the first player can check the status of the substitute training of the target horse by the second player, that is, the training progress and the training degree, from time to time. This allows the first player to check whether the substitute training is progressing smoothly (whether the training quota can be achieved) as needed during the substitute training. This can be used as a basis for deciding whether to interrupt the substitute training or to continue with the current substitute training conditions (for example, whether it is better to change the training course, etc.).

[0059] [Configuration of an information processing device and a user terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention] Next, the configurations of an information processing device and a user terminal 12 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. The information processing device according to the first embodiment is configured by a computer for games, specifically a server computer (hereinafter referred to as a server 10). As shown in FIG. 7, the server 10 is communicably connected to the user terminal 12 via a network 14, and together with the user terminal 12, forms an information processing system S for games. The server 10 may be configured with one computer, or may be configured with a plurality of computers distributed in parallel.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 7, the server 10 has a processor 21, a memory 22, a communication interface 23, and a storage 24, and these devices are electrically connected via a bus 25. In addition, an operating system (OS) and a dedicated program for processing information related to the game are installed as software in the server 10. These programs correspond to the "programs" of the present invention. When the processor 21 operates according to the above programs, the server 10 functions as an information processing device of the present invention and executes a series of processes related to the progress of the game.

[0061] The processor 21 may be composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), an MCU (Micro Controller Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or the like.

[0062] The memory 22 may be configured with semiconductor memory such as a Read Only Memory (ROM) and a Random Access Memory (RAM).

[0063] The communication interface 23 may be, for example, a network interface card, a communication interface board, etc. The standard of data communication by the communication interface 23 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include communication by wireless LAN based on Wi-fi (registered trademark), communication by a 3G to 5G or later generation mobile communication system, and communication based on LTE (Long Term Evolution).

[0064] The storage 24 may be configured with a flash memory, a hard disc drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a flexible disc (FD), a magneto-optical disc (MO disc), a compact disc (CD), a digital versatile disc (DVD), a secure digital card (SD card), or a universal serial bus memory (USB memory). The storage 24 may be built into the server 10, or may be attached to the server body in an external form. Furthermore, the storage 24 may be configured with an external computer (e.g., a database server) communicably connected to the server body. As a technology for recording various data, a distributed ledger technology such as a block chain may be used to avoid unauthorized data tampering.

[0065] The server 10 distributes information necessary for the progress of the game to each player, and also collects and stores information from each player. The information stored by the server 10 includes information regarding each player's play history of the game, such as the racehorses that each player has owned to date and the current parameters of each racehorse, the number of in-game currencies and items, etc., owned, and the number of times that the player has been entrusted with training on behalf of the horse. In addition, for a player who has requested to act as a training agent for a target horse, information regarding the training agent, such as the training conditions and the current status of the training agent, is stored in the server 10.

[0066] In addition, the server 10 executes various information processes related to the progress of the game, including the processes described below. (a) Processing for changing the parameters of a racehorse being trained. (b) A process of having a second player act on behalf of the first player in raising the target horse. (c) A process for completing or interrupting the second player's training of the target horse. (d) Processing for setting a first condition, a second condition, or a reference value which are conditions for interrupting the training agency. (e) A process of returning the target horse for which the horse has been trained to the first player (first return process). (f) A process of returning the horse for which the training has been suspended to the first player (second return process). (g) A process of awarding a reward to the second player. (h) A process for identifying the time (training time) during which the second player acted as a trainer for the target horse. (i) A process for identifying the type and amount of value spent by the second player on training the target horse. (j) Processing to change the amount of value of each player (such as the amount of in-game currency or items possessed). (k) Processing to generate or hold various in-game events, including races. (l) A process of assigning value to a player whose racehorse wins a race.

[0067] The user terminal 12 is a client terminal operated by a player to play the game, and specifically includes a personal computer, a smartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet terminal, a game console, a television receiver capable of inputting information, a wearable terminal, etc. Note that, for convenience of illustration, only two user terminals 12 are shown in Fig. 7, but the number of user terminals 12 may be any number greater than or equal to two.

[0068] The user terminal 12 receives information necessary for the progress of the game from the server 10, and displays images contained in the information on a screen such as a display, and outputs sounds from a speaker, etc. The user terminal 12 also accepts operations performed by the player while playing the game, and transmits information to the server 10 according to the contents of the operations.

[0069] For example, when training a racehorse in the game, the player performs a training operation on the user terminal 12. The training operation is an operation related to training a racehorse, and includes inputting information necessary for training and selecting from a plurality of items related to training. For example, the player specifies a training course in the menu list ML of FIG. 1, and performs an operation for entry registration to enter the racehorse in a desired race through a registration screen (not shown).

[0070] Also, the player requesting the substitution of the target horse, i.e., the first player, performs operations for requesting substitution of the target horse on the user terminal 12, for example, specifying various request items on the substitution of the target horse request screen IS in Fig. 2, and selecting one applicant from the applicant list JL in Fig. 4. Meanwhile, the other player selects and enters a target horse for which he wishes to substitute the horse from among a plurality of target horses listed on the substitution of the target horse horse request list HL in Fig. 3. Also, the player who has accepted the substitution of the target horse, i.e., the second player, can train the racehorse (target horse) for which he is to substitute the horse, by performing normal training operations on the user terminal 12, after indicating his intention to comply with the substitution of the target horse request from the first player through the confirmation screen CS in Fig. 5.

[0071] In addition, during the substitute training, the first player can sequentially check the status of the second player's substitute training of the target horse through communication between the user terminal 12 and the server 10, and can view, for example, the number of weeks of training and the parameters of the target horse at each point during the substitute training on the screen of the user terminal 12.

[0072] [Functions of the information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention] The configuration of the server 10, which is an information processing device according to the first embodiment, will be described again from the functional aspect. As shown in Fig. 8, the server 10 has an operation reception unit 30, a distribution unit 40, a storage unit 50, and an information processing unit 60. Of these, the storage unit 50 is realized by the memory 22 or the storage 24, and the other functional units are realized by the cooperation of the hardware devices constituting the server 10 and the programs installed in the server 10. Each functional unit will be described in detail below.

[0073] (Operation reception section) The operation reception unit 30 receives operations performed by the player on the user terminal 12 while playing the game, and more precisely, receives data indicating the content of the operations from the user terminal 12. As shown in FIG. 8, the operation reception unit 30 has a training operation reception unit 31, a request reception unit 32, a candidate selection reception unit 33, an acceptance confirmation reception unit 34, and a race registration reception unit 35.

[0074] The training operation receiving unit 31 receives a racehorse training operation by a player. The training operation is a specification operation for training a racehorse, or more precisely, for training, and in the training operation, the racehorse to be trained, the training course, the value to be spent on training, etc. are specified. The training operation receiving unit 31 receives data indicating the above-mentioned specified contents from the user terminal 12.

[0075] The request receiving unit 32 receives a designation operation performed by the first player to request a substitute training of the target horse, specifically, an operation to designate requested items such as the training period and training conditions, and more specifically, receives data indicating a substitute training request including the designated requested items from the user terminal 12. The request receiving unit 32 also receives a designation operation performed by the first player to interrupt the substitute training of the target horse and have it returned, specifically, an operation to request the return of the target horse during the substitute training period, and more specifically, receives data indicating a return request from the user terminal 12. The request receiving unit 32 also receives an operation by the first player to set an interruption condition (first condition, second condition, or reference value), specifically, an operation to designate the interruption condition when requesting a substitute training or during the substitute training period, and more specifically, receives data indicating the designated interruption condition from the user terminal 12.

[0076] The candidate selection receiving unit 33 receives an operation by the first player to select one candidate from the entrustment applicant list JL when making a training proxy request, and more specifically, receives data indicating the selection result from the user terminal 12. Also, the candidate selection receiving unit 33 receives an operation by the second player to select a target horse from the training proxy request horse list HL, and more specifically, receives data indicating the selection result from the user terminal 12.

[0077] The acceptance confirmation receiving unit 34 accepts the acceptance confirmation operation performed when the player wishing to be the acceptor selected by the first player decides to accept the training agency through the confirmation screen CS of Figure 5, and more specifically, receives data indicating whether or not the acceptance has been accepted from the user terminal 12.

[0078] The race registration acceptance unit 35 accepts a registration operation performed by a player to enter a racehorse in a race of his / her choice. In the registration operation, the desired race to enter, the date of the race, the racehorse to enter, etc. are specified, and the race registration acceptance unit 35 receives data indicating these contents from the user terminal 12.

[0079] (Distribution Department) The distribution unit 40 distributes information necessary for the progress of the game to each player's user terminal 12, and has an event information distribution unit 41, an information presentation unit 42, and an inquiry unit 43, as shown in FIG.

[0080] The event information distribution unit 41 distributes information about various events such as races. On the user terminal 12 side that receives the information distributed by the event information distribution unit 41, video and audio of the event are output (displayed, played, etc.).

[0081] The information presentation unit 42 corresponds to the "information presentation processing unit" of the present invention, and distributes information on multiple players (strictly speaking, multiple players other than the first player) including the second player who is registered as a candidate for trustee to the first player. The information presentation unit 42 also distributes information on the target horse registered by the first player to multiple players including the second player who is registered as a candidate for trustee.

[0082] The inquiry unit 43 delivers inquiry information on a predetermined matter to a predetermined player, for example, to a player who wishes to be entrusted with the horse training selected by the first player, inquiry information as to whether or not the horse training substitution can be accepted. Also, to a second player who is performing the horse training substitution, inquiry information as to whether or not the horse training substitution should be continued. Also, if the training progress does not satisfy the first condition, the inquiry unit 43 notifies the first player of this fact and delivers information inquiring as to whether or not the horse should be returned.

[0083] (Storage part) The storage unit 50 stores information necessary for the progress of the game, and as shown in FIG. 8, has a player information storage unit 51, a racehorse information storage unit 52, a training proxy request storage unit 53, and a training proxy status storage unit .

[0084] The player information storage unit 51 stores player information on each player of the game for each player. As shown in FIG. 9, the player information includes the name or ID of each player, the account name for the game, the total playing time of the game, the ID of the racehorse owned (owned horse ID), the grade of the farm owned, the number of times training proxy has been accepted, a training proxy flag indicating whether or not a training proxy is currently being requested, and a candidate flag indicating whether or not the player is currently a candidate. The player information also includes information (not shown) regarding the number of in-game currencies or items or other values ​​held. Note that the player information may include information on the player other than the above, for example, the name or ID of another player registered as a friend by the player.

[0085] The racehorse information storage unit 52 stores racehorse information on each racehorse owned by each player for each racehorse. As shown in FIG. 10, the racehorse information includes the name of each racehorse, an identification ID, the account name of the player who owns the racehorse, current parameters (specifically, ability values ​​such as stamina, speed, and power, and race results such as the number of past races participated in and the number of wins), the current number of weeks of training, and the remaining number of training periods (remaining weeks). Note that the racehorse information may include information on the racehorse other than the above, such as information on the pedigree of the parent horse, and trainer information such as the name or ID of the trainer. In addition, the information on the racehorse may include mask information that is not displayed on the user terminal 12 or the like and cannot be confirmed by the player.

[0086] The training proxy request storage unit 53 stores training proxy request information related to a training proxy request for each request. As shown in Fig. 11, the training proxy request information includes an ID for identifying the training proxy request (request ID), the account name of the player who requested the training proxy, the training period, an ID for identifying the racehorse (target horse) related to the requested training proxy, training conditions (specifically, the number of training weeks to be achieved during the training proxy, the training course, and the type of parameter to be increased by the training proxy and its target value), and the account name of the player who accepted the training proxy.

[0087] The substitute training status storage unit 54 stores, for each substitute training, training status information relating to the progress of the currently ongoing substitute training. As shown in Fig. 12, the substitute training status information includes a request ID, a start date of the substitute training in real time, the number of weeks of training from the start of the substitute training to the present time in game time, the current value of the desired training parameter, the number of medals given as the training budget, and the number of medals consumed for the substitute training up to the present time.

[0088] (Information Processing Department) The information processing unit 60 executes information processing necessary for the progress of the game, and as shown in FIG. 8, has a parameter changing unit 61, an agency processing unit 62, a reference value setting unit 63, an agency completion unit 64, an agency interruption unit 65, an agency time determination unit 66, a consumption value determination unit 67, a return processing unit 68, a reward granting unit 69, a race result determination unit 70, and a value granting unit 71.

[0089] When the training operation receiving unit 31 receives a training operation from the player, the parameter changing unit 61 executes a process of changing the parameters of the racehorse to be trained stored in the racehorse information storage unit 52, specifically ability values ​​such as stamina, speed, and power, according to the content of the operation. At this time, the amount of change (amount of increase) of each parameter changes according to the training course specified by the player in the training operation and the amount of value consumed. Note that the parameter changing unit 61 also changes the parameters appropriately when an interruption condition is met during substitute training and it is necessary to change the parameters of the target horse.

[0090] When the acceptance confirmation accepting unit 34 accepts a reply from the applicant selected by the first player that the horse training proxy will be accepted, the proxy processing unit 62 executes a process of making the applicant the second player and having the second player act on behalf of the applicant in training the target horse. Specifically, the proxy processing unit 62 sets the authority to train the target horse for the second player, and stores the account name of the second player in the training proxy request storage unit 53 in association with the request ID for the training proxy.

[0091] The reference value setting unit 63 sets the reference value based on requested items such as training conditions specified by the first player, or the ability (including potential ability) or personality of the target horse estimated based on the background of the target horse such as the pedigree or age. The reference value setting unit 63 may set the reference value when requesting a training agency, or may set it appropriately at a predetermined timing from the start of the training agency. The reference value setting unit 63 can also change the reference value once it has been set.

[0092] When a completion condition for the training substitution is satisfied, the substitution completion unit 64 completes the substitution of the target horse by the player who has accepted the training substitution. The completion condition is, for example, a condition that the training condition specified by the first player when requesting the training substitution is satisfied. In other words, when the number of training weeks in the training substitution of the target horse by the second player reaches the number of training weeks specified by the first player, or when the parameters of the target horse increase to the target values ​​specified by the first player, the substitution completion unit 64 cancels / invalidates the substitution training authority set for the second player, and completes the substitution of the target horse by the second player.

[0093] When the above-mentioned interruption condition is satisfied for the substitute training, the substitution interruption unit 65 interrupts the substitute training of the target horse by the player who has been entrusted with the substitute training in the middle of the substitute training. Specifically, the substitution interruption unit 65 interrupts the substitute training by canceling / invalidating the substitute training authority set for the second player. Furthermore, when interrupting the substitute training, the substitution interruption unit 65 may maintain the parameters of the target horse that have changed due to the substitute training by the second player up to the interruption time based on the interruption situation as described above, or may execute a process to change the parameters. For example, depending on the interruption situation, the substitution interruption unit 65 interrupts the substitute training of the target horse by the second player after changing the values ​​of the parameters to the state at the time of the substitute training request, any state from the time of the substitute training request to the interruption time (excluding the state at the time of the interruption), or a state at the time before a predetermined event occurs. Furthermore, the substitution interruption unit 65 appropriately sets a first condition and a second condition as the interruption condition. As described above, the second condition for the continuation period that occurs after the predetermined period has elapsed is set to be stricter than the first condition for the predetermined period.

[0094] The substitution time determination unit 66 determines the in-game time spent on substitute training of the target horse (hereinafter referred to as substitution time). The substitution time corresponds to, for example, the number of weeks of training from the start of substitute training to the current time. In other words, when determining the substitution time for the second player's substitute training of the target horse, the substitution time determination unit 66 determines the number of weeks of training that have been reached since the second player started substitute training of the target horse to the current time as the substitution time. The determined substitution time, i.e., the number of weeks of training, is also used as a reference for the substitution interruption unit 65 to determine whether the interruption condition has been met.

[0095] The consumption value identifying unit 67 identifies the amount of value such as in-game currency consumed in the training proxy of the target horse. For example, when the above-mentioned completion condition is satisfied for the training proxy of the target horse by the second player, the consumption value identifying unit 67 identifies the amount of value consumed up to the point in time when the completion condition is satisfied. In addition, the consumption value identifying unit 67 can also identify the amount of value consumed in the training proxy up to any point in time during the training proxy, and the amount of value identified therein is also used as a reference when the proxy interruption unit 65 determines whether the interruption condition is satisfied.

[0096] When a predetermined return condition (completion condition or interruption condition) is satisfied, the return processing unit 68 returns the target horse from the second player to the first player. As a result, the right to raise the target horse is returned from the second player to the first player. Specifically, when the completion condition is satisfied and the substitution completion unit 64 has completed the substitution of the second player for the target horse, the target horse is returned to the first player in a state in which the parameters have changed based on the substitution of the second player, as a first return process. On the other hand, when the interruption condition is satisfied and the substitution interruption unit 65 has interrupted the substitution of the second player for the target horse, the target horse is returned to the first player in a state that has not changed since the substitution request, any state between the substitution request and the interruption, or a state before a predetermined event occurs, as a second return process.

[0097] When the second player has completed the substitution of the horse for training the target horse and the first return process has been executed, the reward granting unit 69 grants the above-mentioned reward to the second player. When the reward has been granted, the content of the granted reward is reflected in the player information of each player stored in the player information storage unit 51, or in the racehorse information regarding the target horse stored in the racehorse information storage unit 52. On the other hand, when the substitution of the horse for training is suspended and the second return process has been executed, no reward is granted to the second player.

[0098] The race result determination unit 70 determines the outcome of each race in the game, i.e., the finishing order of each racehorse in the race, based on the parameters, and generates event performance data according to the determined race results. The generated event performance data is distributed by the event information distribution unit 41 to the player who has entered the racehorse in the race.

[0099] The value granting unit 71 grants the value of in-game currency or items, etc., as a prize or secondary prize to the player who entered the racehorse in accordance with the result of the race in which the racehorse entered. When the value is granted, the amount of value of the in-game currency, etc., equivalent to the prize money, is added to the player information of each player stored in the player information storage unit 51. A predetermined value is also granted when the second player enters the target horse in a race while acting as a training agent and wins the race. In this case, the value may be granted to the second player acting as a training agent for the target horse, or to the first player who is the owner of the target horse.

[0100] The above describes the configurations of the server 10 and the user terminal 12. Generally, the server 10 and the user terminal 12 have various functions other than those described above, but here, only the characteristic functions that provide the operational effect in the information processing system S of the present invention will be described, and illustrations and descriptions of other known functions will be omitted.

[0101] [Information processing flow according to one embodiment of the present invention] Next, a flow relating to substitute training (hereinafter referred to as substitute training flow) among the information processing flows by the information processing system S will be described. The substitute training flow employs the information processing method of the present invention, and in other words, each step in the substitute training flow corresponds to a component of the information processing method of the present invention. In the following, a specific case will be given to easily explain the substitute training flow, and the first player who requests substitute training will be called Player X, the second player who accepts the substitute training will be called Player Y, and the racehorse (target horse) related to the substitute training will be called Racehorse Z.

[0102] To execute the training proxy flow, players X and Y log in to the game and start playing. In the game, players X and Y each own at least one racehorse and have in-game currency or items or other value required for training. In addition, multiple players including player Y (strictly speaking, multiple players other than player X) are registered in advance as trustee candidates for the training proxy flow.

[0103] 13 to 15, for example, the substitute training flow begins with the player X operating the user terminal 12 to specify the requested items related to the substitute training of the racehorse Z, specifically the training period and the training conditions (S001). The server 10 accepts the substitute training request from the player X through communication with the user terminal 12 of the player X, and acquires data indicating the requested items in detail (S002).

[0104] Next, the player Y operates the user terminal 12 to select a horse for which he / she wishes to be entrusted with training (S003), and the server 10 accepts the selection result of the player Y through communication with the user terminal 12 of the player Y, and more specifically, acquires data indicating the horse selected by the player Y (S004). Incidentally, in this case, the race horse Z corresponds to the horse selected by the player Y.

[0105] Next, the server 10 presents information on multiple players including the trustee player Y to the player X (S005), and when the player X operates the user terminal 12 to select the trustee (S006), the server 10 accepts the selection result of the player X through communication with the user terminal 12 of the player X, and more specifically, acquires data indicating the trustee selected by the player X (S007). Incidentally, in this case, there are multiple trustees other than the player Y, and the player Y corresponds to the trustee selected from among the multiple trustees.

[0106] Thereafter, the server 10 inquires of the player Y whether or not to accept the training proxy requested by the player X through communication with the user terminal 12 of the player Y (S008). The player Y responds through the confirmation screen CS of Fig. 5 whether or not to accept the training proxy, and if he or she intends to accept, he or she responds to that effect (S009). Note that the following steps will be described assuming that the player Y has responded that he or she will accept the training proxy.

[0107] The server 10 executes a process to have the player Y act as a substitute for the breeding of the racehorse Z, that is, sets the authority to breed the racehorse Z to the player Y (S010). Thereby, the player Y can breed the racehorse Z at the farm that he / she owns thereafter, in other words, the breeding operation of the player Y regarding the racehorse Z is accepted by the server 10.

[0108] When the player Y performs a training operation on the user terminal 12 to train the racehorse Z (S011), the server 10 accepts the training operation through communication with the user terminal 12 of the player Y, and specifically receives data indicating the training course and the consumed in-game currency or items (S012). In response to this, the server 10 changes the parameters of the racehorse Z stored in the racehorse information storage unit 52, specifically stamina, speed, power, etc. (S013). At this time, each parameter is changed according to the content of the training operation accepted from the player Y (the training course and the consumed amount of in-game currency or the type of consumable item, etc.). However, the change does not necessarily occur regularly, and even if the content of the training operation is the same, the amount of change may be changed randomly, etc.

[0109] Then, the server 10 appropriately determines whether or not a completion condition is met for the substitute training of racehorse Z by player Y during the substitute training period (S014). For example, the completion condition is met when the number of training weeks during the substitute training period reaches a value specified by player X, or when a parameter desired by player X among the parameters of racehorse Z reaches a target value. When the completion condition is met, the server 10 completes the substitute training of racehorse Z by player Y (S015).

[0110] When the substitute training of racehorse Z is completed, the server 10 cancels the substitute training authority for racehorse Z that was set for player Y, returns racehorse Z to player X with the parameters changed according to the substitute training up to that point, i.e., executes a first return process (S016), awards player Y a reward for the substitute training (S017), and ends the substitute training flow.

[0111] On the other hand, if the completion condition is not satisfied during the substitute training period, the server 10 appropriately determines whether or not the interruption condition is satisfied for the substitute training of the racehorse Z by the player Y (S018). For example, the interruption condition is satisfied when the training progress does not satisfy the first condition or the second condition, or when the training degree does not satisfy the reference value. When the interruption condition is satisfied, the server 10 interrupts the substitute training of the racehorse Z by the player Y and cancels the substitute training authority for the racehorse Z set for the player Y (S019), and returns the racehorse Z to the player X in a state that has not changed since the substitute training request, any state between the time of the substitute training request and the time of interruption, or a state before a predetermined event occurs, based on the timing of satisfaction of the interruption condition, i.e., executes the second return process (S020), and ends the substitute training flow.

[0112] On the other hand, while neither the completion condition nor the interruption condition is satisfied, the above steps S011 to S014 and S018 of the substitute breeding flow are repeatedly performed. In other words, as long as neither the completion condition nor the interruption condition is satisfied, the player Y can repeatedly perform breeding operations and registration operations, and can change the parameters of the racehorse Z every time the breeding operation is performed.

[0113] [Other embodiments] Up to this point, specific examples have been given of the information processing device, information processing method, and program of the present invention, but the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and other embodiments may be considered.

[0114] In the above embodiment, the server computer for distributing game data (i.e., the server 10) functions as the information processing device of the present invention, but this is not limited thereto, and some of the functions of the server 10 may be provided in the user terminal 12. For example, the functions of the proxy processing unit 62, etc. may be provided in the user terminal 12.

[0115] In addition, in this embodiment, the player information and racehorse information are stored and possessed in a server computer for distributing game data (i.e., server 10), but it is also possible to provide a separate database server (not shown) and store the information all together in that database server, or to store the information on the user terminal 12 side.

[0116] In this embodiment, a player who is a potential recipient enters a request to be entrusted with a target horse, and the first player who requested the horse to be trained on behalf of the horse selects a recipient from among the multiple recipients, and when the selected recipient responds that they will accept the horse training after confirming their intention to be entrusted with the horse training on behalf of the horse, the recipient is made the second player and the second player is made to train the target horse on behalf of the horse. However, this is not limited to the above, and for example, the first player may specify training conditions when requesting the horse to be trained on behalf of the horse, the player who is a potential recipient may set the conditions, and the two conditions may be compared, and the candidate who has set the conditions that match the training conditions may be made the second player, and the second player may be made to train the target horse on behalf of the horse.

[0117] In this embodiment, the first return process is executed when the training substitution is completed by satisfying the completion condition. However, in addition to the above completion condition, the first return process may be executed and the target horse may be returned to the first player when a period of time equivalent to the in-game time (number of training weeks) consumed by the second player during the training substitution has elapsed from the start of the training substitution in the in-game time of the first player. For example, if the number of training weeks to be reached during the training substitution is set to 120 weeks as the training condition (one year is 52 weeks in the in-game time), and the in-game time of the first player at the start of the training substitution is the first week of January 2000, if the first player plays the game (such as by training another racehorse) and advances his / her own in-game time by 120 weeks, and does not reach the third week of April 2002, the first return process may not be executed even if the completion condition is satisfied. This makes it possible to prevent discrepancies in the age and other data between the target horse and the other racehorses even if the first player is raising a racehorse other than the target horse for which he is acting as a breeding agent. When the completion condition is met, the first player is notified that the second player has completed the training substitution, and if the first player has progressed less than 120 weeks of in-game time since the start of the training substitution at that time, the first player may be able to forcibly advance the in-game time to a state where 120 weeks have progressed since the start of the training substitution, according to the first player's selection. In this case, the first player's in-game time may be advanced on the condition that a predetermined item is consumed, or the amount of the predetermined item consumed may be changed depending on the length of the period to be advanced.

[0118] Furthermore, even if the first return process is executed when the training substitution ends after satisfying the completion conditions, the returned target horse may be in a state of provisional ownership in which the first player cannot use it for a certain period of time. In other words, the returned target horse may not be allowed to enter races or be trained until a period of time equivalent to the in-game time (number of training weeks) consumed by the second player during the training substitution has elapsed from the start of the training substitution in the first player's in-game time. This also makes it possible to substantially prevent discrepancies in the age, etc., between the target horse and other racehorses when the first player is training a racehorse other than the target horse related to the training substitution.

[0119] In addition, even if the training proxy ends when the interruption condition is satisfied and the second return process is performed, if the target horse is returned to the first player with its parameters unchanged from the time the training proxy request was made, the first player's in-game time may be returned to the time the training proxy request was made. On the other hand, if the target horse is returned to the first player in any state between the start of the training proxy and the time the second return process is executed (including the state of the week immediately prior to the week in which the specified event occurred), the target horse may be returned at a timing when the first player's in-game time has advanced by a period (number of weeks) corresponding to the number of weeks consumed in the training proxy of the target horse. For example, if the target horse is returned in a state where 50 weeks have passed since the start of the training proxy, the first player's in-game time may be set to a point where 50 weeks have passed since the start of the training proxy. Conversely, if only 50 weeks have passed since the start of the training proxy in the first player's in-game time at the time the second return process is executed, the target horse may also be returned in a state where 50 weeks have passed since the start of the training proxy.

[0120] In this embodiment, the player can enjoy all the functions free of charge in principle, but some functions may be limited and the limited functions may be available by paying a certain fee. For a player who has paid a certain fee, various conditions may be set to give the player an advantage in playing, such as increasing the number of trainings that can be performed in one weekly operation, making it easier to raise the grade of the farm, being able to obtain specific items, and increasing the amount of change in parameters in training. The fee may be a pay-per-use system, or may be effective for the player for a certain period of time (for example, one month or one year) once the fee is paid (subscription).

[0121] [summary] The main features of the information processing device, information processing method, and program according to the above-described embodiment are as follows.

[0122] [1] The information processing device of this embodiment has a request receiving unit that receives a proxy request for raising a game object from a first player, a proxy processing unit that causes a second player to raise the game object, and a return processing unit that executes a first return process to return a game object having parameters set based on the raising performed by the second player to the first player if a completion condition is satisfied, and executes a second return process to return the game object to the first player before the raising is completed if an interruption condition is satisfied. According to the above information processing device, when the first player makes the second player execute the raising of a game object, a first return process is executed to return the game object to the first player if a completion condition is satisfied, and a second return process is executed to return the game object to the first player if an interruption condition is satisfied. Therefore, the first player who is the entruster can save the trouble of raising the game object, and even during the request for the raising proxy, in the unlikely event that something happens, the game object can be returned before the raising proxy is completed, so that the risk of requesting the raising proxy is reduced and the raising proxy can be used with peace of mind. In addition, the second player who is the entruster will work on the raising proxy so that the game object is not returned before the raising proxy is completed, so the quality of the raising proxy is improved, which leads to the benefit of the first player. In other words, the first player is more likely to be able to raise the game object to have better abilities than if he or she were to raise it himself or herself. From the above, an environment in which the raising proxy of a game object can be actively used can be created.

[0123] [2] In the above information processing device, the request receiving unit receives a request to return the game object from a player, and the return processing unit executes a second return process when the return request is received. This allows the first player to interrupt the substitute training and have the game object returned at a time that the first player desires. This further reduces the risk involved in requesting substitute training, allowing the first player to use the substitute training with greater peace of mind, and further increases the probability that the game object will be trained to have better abilities than if the first player were to train it himself. This makes it possible to create an even more favorable environment in which substitute training of game objects can be actively utilized.

[0124] [3] In the above information processing device, the return processing unit executes a second return process when the breeding progress of the game object does not satisfy the first condition until a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the start of the breeding proxy. This allows the first player to interrupt the substitution training midway and have the game object returned if the second player does not train the game object enough or the quality of the training is low, or the game object does not meet the first condition within a predetermined period of time from the start of the substitution training. This further reduces the risk of requesting a substitution training, allows the player to use the substitution training with greater peace of mind, and further increases the probability that the game object will be trained to have better abilities than if the player were to train it themselves. This makes it possible to create an even more favorable environment in which substitution training of game objects can be actively used.

[0125] [4] In the above-mentioned information processing device, if the training progress of the game object does not satisfy a first condition within a predetermined period of time from the start of the training proxy and the training proxy of the game object is to be continued, the return processing unit executes a second return process if the training progress of the game object does not satisfy a second condition, which is stricter than the first condition, within a continuation period after the predetermined period of time. As a result, even if the first player continues the training proxy when the training progress of the game object does not satisfy the first condition until a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the start of the training proxy, if the training progress of the game object still does not satisfy a second condition that is set stricter than the first condition, such as a small number of trainings or a low quality of training by the second player, the first player can interrupt the training proxy midway and have the game object returned. This further reduces the risk of requesting a training proxy, allows the player to use the training proxy with greater peace of mind, and further increases the probability that the game object can be trained to have better abilities than if the player were to train it themselves. This makes it possible to create an even more suitable environment in which training proxy of game objects can be actively used.

[0126] [5] In the above information processing device, the return processing unit executes a second return process when the development degree of the game object does not reach a reference value by the time a predetermined event occurs. This allows the first player to interrupt the substitute training midway and have the game object returned if the degree of training of the game object does not reach a reference value by the time a predetermined event occurs and a certain level of training result is not achieved. This further reduces the risk of requesting a substitute training service, allows the first player to use the substitute training service with greater peace of mind, and further increases the probability that the game object will be trained to have better abilities than if the first player were to train it themselves. This makes it possible to create an even more favorable environment in which substitute training of game objects can be actively used.

[0127] [6] The information processing device described above further comprises a reference value setting unit that sets a reference value based on a parameter designated by the first player. This allows the first player to interrupt the substitute training midway and have the game object returned if the degree of training of the game object does not reach a reference value set based on the parameters specified by the first player and a certain training result is not achieved. Therefore, particularly when there is a request to have training focused on a specific ability, the risk of requesting a substitute training is further reduced, the player can use the substitute training service with greater peace of mind, and the probability of being able to train the game object to have better abilities than if the player were to train it themselves is further improved. This makes it possible to create an even more favorable environment in which substitute training of game objects can be actively used.

[0128] [7] The above information processing device further comprises a reference value setting unit that sets the reference value based on achievements or parameters of other game objects used to generate the game object. This allows the first player to interrupt the substitute training midway and have the game object returned if the degree of training of the game object does not reach a standard value set based on the individual characteristics such as potential of the game object and a certain training result is not achieved. Therefore, especially when entrusting the training of a game object with high potential, the risk of requesting a substitute training is further reduced, the player can use the substitute training with more peace of mind, and the probability of being able to train the game object to have better abilities than if the first player were to train it himself is further improved. This makes it possible to create an even more favorable environment in which the substitute training of game objects can be actively used.

[0129] [8] In the above-mentioned information processing device, when the return processing unit executes the second return process, it returns the game object to the first player in any state between the parameter state at the time of the training proxy request and the parameter state changed based on the training proxy up to the time of execution of the second return process. As a result, when the first player discontinues the training proxy and has the game object returned, the first player can have the game object returned in any state between the parameter state at the time of the training proxy request and the parameter state changed based on the training proxy up to the time of execution of the second return process, and the number of options for how to handle the game object after it is returned is increased. Therefore, the risk of requesting a training proxy is further reduced, the training proxy can be used with more peace of mind, and the probability that the game object can be trained to have better abilities than if the first player were to train it himself is further improved. Therefore, an environment in which training proxy of game objects can be actively used can be created more favorably.

[0130] [9] In the above information processing device, when the return processing unit executes the second return process before a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the start of the training proxy, it returns the game object to the first player in the state of parameters at the time of the training proxy request. As a result, when the first player discontinues the training proxy and has the game object returned, the game object can be returned with the parameters at the time of the training proxy request within a predetermined period of time, and the returned game object can be trained again at an early stage. This further reduces the risk of requesting a training proxy, allows the player to use the training proxy with greater peace of mind, and further increases the probability that the game object can be trained to have better abilities than if the player were to train it themselves. This makes it possible to create an even more favorable environment in which training proxy can be actively used for game objects.

[0131]

[10] In the above-mentioned information processing device, when a specified event occurs during training proxy, the return processing unit returns the game object to the first player in the state of parameters after the parameters have changed based on the training proxy up to the time the second return process is executed, and before the specified event occurs. As a result, when the first player discontinues the substitute training and has the game object returned, even if a predetermined event such as an accident occurs and the parameters improved by training drop, the game object can be returned with the parameters in the state they were in before the predetermined event occurred, and the training results up to that point are not wasted. This further reduces the risk of requesting a substitute training, allows the first player to use the substitute training with greater peace of mind, and further increases the probability that the game object can be trained to have better abilities than if the first player were to train it himself. This makes it possible to create an even more suitable environment in which substitute training of game objects can be actively used.

[0132]

[11] Furthermore, according to an information processing method of the present invention, a computer receives a request from a first player to raise a game object on behalf of a second player, and the computer causes a second player to raise the game object. If a completion condition is satisfied, the computer executes a first return process to return to the first player a game object having parameters set based on the raising performed by the second player, and if an interruption condition is satisfied, the computer executes a second return process to return the game object to the first player before the raising is completed. According to the above information processing method, when the first player makes the second player execute the raising of a game object, a first return process is executed to return the game object to the first player if a completion condition is satisfied, and a second return process is executed to return the game object to the first player if an interruption condition is satisfied. Therefore, the first player, who is the entruster, can save the trouble of raising the game object, and even during the request for the raising proxy, in the unlikely event that something happens, the game object can be returned before the raising proxy is completed, so that the risk of requesting the raising proxy is reduced and the raising proxy can be used with peace of mind. In addition, the second player, who is the entruster, will work on the raising proxy so that the game object is not returned before the raising proxy is completed, so the quality of the raising proxy is improved, which leads to the benefit of the first player. In other words, the first player is more likely to be able to raise the game object so that it has better abilities than if the first player were to raise it himself. From the above, an environment in which the raising proxy of a game object can be actively used can be created.

[0133] The information processing method of the present invention is realized by an information processing device alone or in combination with another terminal such as a user terminal. Here, the information processing device may be a server computer for ASP (Application Service Provider), SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), or IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). In this case, the above series of information processing (excluding input and display of information) is executed by the server computer, so that the user terminal side only needs to input information to be handed over to the server computer and display information distributed from the server computer.

[0134]

[12] Furthermore, according to the program of the present invention, a computer is caused to accept a request for raising a game object from a first player, cause a second player to raise the game object, and if a completion condition is satisfied, cause a first return process is executed to return to the first player a game object having parameters set based on the raising performed by the second player, and if an interruption condition is satisfied, cause a second return process is executed to return the game object to the first player before the raising is completed. According to the above program, when the first player makes the second player execute the raising of a game object, a first return process is executed to return the game object to the first player if a completion condition is satisfied, and a second return process is executed to return the game object to the first player if an interruption condition is satisfied. Therefore, the first player, who is the entruster, can save the trouble of raising the game object, and even during the request for the raising proxy, in the unlikely event that something happens, the game object can be returned before the raising proxy is completed, so that the risk of requesting the raising proxy is reduced and the raising proxy can be used with peace of mind. In addition, the second player, who is the entruster, will work on the raising proxy so that the game object is not returned before the raising proxy is completed, so the quality of the raising proxy is improved, which leads to the benefit of the first player. In other words, the first player is more likely to be able to raise the game object to have better abilities than if he or she were to raise it himself or herself. From the above, an environment in which the raising proxy of a game object can be actively used can be created.

[0135] The program of the present invention may be acquired by reading it from a computer-readable recording medium, or may be acquired (downloaded) via a network such as the Internet or an intranet. [Explanation of symbols]

[0136] 10 Server 12 User terminal 14 Network 21 Processors 22 Memory 23 Communication Interface 24 Storage 25 Bus 30 Operation reception section 31 Training Operation Reception Department 32 Request Reception Department 33 Candidate Selection Reception Section 34. Acceptance Confirmation Reception Department 35 Race Registration Desk 40 Distribution Department 41 Event Information Distribution Department 42 Information Provision Department 43 Inquiry Department 50 Storage section 51 Player information storage unit 52 Racehorse information storage unit 53 Training agent request memory unit 54 Training agent status memory unit 60 Information Processing Section 61 Parameter change section 62 Substitute Processing Unit 63 Reference value setting section 64 Substitution Completion Section 65 Agency interruption part 66 Substitute Time Specification Department 67 Consumer Value Identification Department 68 Return Processing Section 69 Reward Department 70 Race Results Decision Department 71 Value Addition Department CS confirmation screen HL Horse breeding request list IS Training Agency Request Screen JL Contractor List ML Menu List S Information Processing System

Claims

1. a processor, the processor comprising: Accepting a request to raise a game object from a first player; causing a second player to raise the game object; An information processing device that is capable of accepting a request to return the game object from the first player if the training progress or training level of the game object satisfies an interruption condition within a predetermined period of time from the start of the training, and returns the game object to the first player if the training of the game object satisfies a completion condition.

2. The processor accepts a request to raise a game object from a first player; a processor causing a second player to raise the game object; An information processing method in which a processor is capable of accepting a request to return the game object from the first player if the training progress or training level of the game object satisfies an interruption condition within a predetermined period of time from the start of the training, and returns the game object to the first player if the training of the game object satisfies a completion condition.

3. Accepting a request to raise a game object from a first player; causing a second player to raise the game object; A program for causing a processor to execute a process that accepts a request to return the game object from the first player if the development progress or development level of the game object satisfies an interruption condition within a predetermined period of time from the start of the development, and returns the game object to the first player if the development of the game object satisfies a completion condition.

4. Equipped with a server and terminals, The server, accepting a request to raise a game object from a terminal of a first player; causing a second player to raise the game object; The system is capable of accepting a request to return the game object from the first player's terminal if the development progress or development level of the game object satisfies an interruption condition within a predetermined period of time from the start of the development, and returns the game object to the first player if the development of the game object satisfies a completion condition.

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