Program and game device

Abstract

To facilitate adjustment to the game progress as intended by a user. [Solution] A computer running a game in which the appearance of characters is changed as the game progresses and in which multiple types of characters can appear is made to perform an input process that accepts operational input to associate type parameters related to a target character appearing in the game, a management process that accumulates and manages the type parameters associated with the target character based on the operational input, and a determination process that determines the target character's changed appearance based on the type parameters accumulated for the target character.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a program and a game device, and to an electronic game in which the appearance of a character is changed as the game progresses. [Background technology]

[0002] There is a game device that determines the evolution of a character in a training game based on parameters accumulated based on changes in the wearer's activity state, the results of a battle in a battle game, and the duration of the wearer not wearing the device (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6966619 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in a breeding game such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to adjust the evolution of a character to a specific evolution destination.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a program and a game device that make it easy for a user to adjust the game progress to his or her intended purpose. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a game in which the appearance of characters is changed as the game progresses, and in which a computer executing the game is configured to allow multiple types of characters to appear, is caused to perform an input process that accepts operational input to associate type parameters related to a type with a target character appearing in the game, a management process that accumulates and manages the type parameters associated with the target character based on the operational input, and a determination process that determines the changed appearance of the target character based on the type parameters accumulated for the target character. Another aspect of the present invention is a program that causes a computer executing a game in which the appearance of characters is changed as the game progresses, and in which a plurality of types of characters can appear, to execute the following processes: an input process that accepts operational input to associate type parameters related to a type with a target character appearing in the game; a management process that accumulates and manages the type parameters associated with the target character based on the operational input; and a determination process that determines the target character's changed appearance based on the type parameters accumulated for the target character, wherein the type parameters include at least a first type parameter and a second type parameter; and when operational input to associate a second type parameter is accepted, the management process controls whether or not to accumulate the second type parameter in association with the target character, depending on the type of first type parameter already accumulated in association with the target character. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to easily adjust the game progress to suit the user's intentions. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the external configuration of a game device 100 according to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a game device 100 according to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a confirmation screen for an icon of the acquisition status of a target character according to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating evolutionary branching of a target character in an evolution game according to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a diagram illustrating a display medium according to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention; [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the display of a sample image to be obtained when a code is entered according to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an illustrated book menu according to an embodiment and a modified example of the present invention; [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a first menu of an illustrated book menu according to an embodiment and a modified example of the present invention; [Figure 9]FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a second menu of the pictorial book menu according to the embodiment and the modified example of the present invention; [Figure 10] 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a storage process executed in the game device 100 according to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention. [Figure 11] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a display control process executed in the game device 100 according to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the structure of data referenced by the game device 100 according to the embodiment and modifications of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] [Embodiment] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention as claimed, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be combined in any desired manner. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used to designate identical or similar components, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0010] In the embodiment described below, the present invention is applied to an example of a game device capable of executing a game in which the appearance of a character changes as the game progresses, i.e., a game in which there is at least one target character and the appearance of the target character changes as the game progresses. However, the present invention can be applied to any device capable of executing an electronic game in which multiple types of characters with different appearances appear. In other words, it goes without saying that the electronic game to which the present invention is applied is not limited to a specific genre of game, such as an evolution game.

[0011] The game exemplified in this embodiment is configured to provide the user with an exciting experience of growing a target character while gradually changing its appearance, and may be configured, for example, so that the target character's appearance after growth changes depending on how the user cares for it. Hereinafter, the game exemplified in this embodiment will be referred to as an "evolution game" from the perspective that the target character's appearance evolves as it grows.

[0012] <<Configuration of the Game Device>> 1 shows an example of the external configuration of a game device 100 according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the game device 100 is configured as a portable toy and operates using power supplied from a battery or dry cell (not shown). In the battery-operated mode, the game device 100 is provided with a terminal (not shown) that can be connected to a power source, and is configured to be able to charge the battery by electrically connecting a commercial power source or the like to the terminal via a power supply cable.

[0013] <Hardware configuration of game device> Next, the hardware configuration of the game device 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of the game device 100.

[0014] The control unit 101 is a processor such as a CPU, and performs various controls including operational control of each piece of hardware included in the game device 100. Specifically, the control unit 101 performs the relevant controls by, for example, reading out a necessary program stored in the storage device 102, expanding it into the memory 103, and executing it. The control unit 101 also has a built-in clock and is configured to be able to obtain the current time.

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

[0016] The character DB 121 is a database that manages, as records, information (character information) about characters that can be trained in the evolution game. In the evolution game executed on the game device 100 of this embodiment, a user can train a character that grows through multiple growth stages. A character is configured so that its appearance changes as the growth stage changes. The character DB 121 manages, as records, various information about each appearance that a character can have at each growth stage. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the character information for one record is associated with a character ID 1201 that uniquely identifies the character (its appearance), and includes graphics information 1202 for drawing the character's appearance, growth stage 1203 indicating the growth stage at which the character will have that appearance, and growth destination information 1204 indicating the appearance to which the character can grow from that appearance. The growth destination information 1204 may store information about the corresponding character ID 1201.

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

[0018] The communication I / F 106 is a communication interface with an external device provided in the game device 100. As described above, the game device 100 of this embodiment is provided with connection terminals (not shown), and by connecting these connection terminals together, information communication with other game devices 100 is possible.

[0019] Operation I / F 105 is a user interface provided in game device 100 that accepts operation input. When operation I / F 105 detects that an operation input has been made, it outputs a control signal corresponding to the operation input to control unit 101. In an aspect in which display 110 is configured to be able to detect touch input, operation I / F 105 may include a touch input detection sensor provided on display 110. In addition, operation I / F 105 may include various operation members provided on the exterior of game device 100, for example.

[0020] Game Overview Below, an overview of a game that provides a play experience on the game device 100 of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the game will be described as an evolution game that provides at least the element of raising a target character as an entertainment element. However, an evolution game is merely one type of game in which multiple types of characters with different appearances appear, and the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can be applied to any game in which multiple types of characters with different appearances appear.

[0021] In an evolution game, a user can raise a target character by performing operational inputs related to caring for the target character. An evolution game starts, for example, by hatching an egg, and by sequentially performing operational inputs related to the necessary care, the target character progresses through growth stages (progression stages), and the target character grows while changing in appearance. The growth stages are, for example, a concept that refers to each of the multiple stages that divide the growth process (period) of the target character in an evolution game (egg stage (before birth), baby stage (infancy), kid stage (childhood), young stage (adolescence), adult stage (adulthood), etc.), and progress is achieved by satisfying conditions such as the elapsed time of raising.

[0022] Here, characters at each growth stage are configured to exhibit a predetermined appearance for that growth stage. In other words, in the evolution game of this embodiment, the possible appearances that a target character can have at each growth stage are predetermined, and the appearance that the character will have is determined depending on, for example, the selected egg and the care situation at the growth stage up to that point. As described above, the character's appearance is determined as graphics information 902 in the character information registered in the character DB 121. In other words, the evolution game is configured so that the target character's appearance changes to one of multiple predetermined appearances as the target character's development progresses.

[0023] Each of the possible appearances of a target character in an evolution game, i.e., multiple predefined appearances for the evolution game, is assigned a unique name, and each appearance can be considered a character with a unique name. That is, each character that can appear in the evolution game has a unique name, and the change in appearance as a character grows can be considered an evolution from pre-grown character A (name) to grown character B (name). A user can repeatedly play the evolution game, for example, by obtaining a new egg and hatching it, using the resulting character as the target character. During this process, the target character can "evolve into a specific character." For this reason, in the following description, "changing the target character's appearance to that of a specific character" may simply be referred to as "evolving into a specific character."

[0024] In order to ensure the game's gameplay, the evolutionary lineage of characters is defined so that they evolve into characters with the same appearance under the same conditions over repeated gameplay. That is, information on which character's appearance the target character will show as it evolves is defined as an "evolutionary branch" defined for each character at any growth stage. In the evolutionary game of this embodiment, for each character defined in the baby to young stages, one or more evolutionary characters with appearance changes are defined.

[0025] For example, in the baby stage, a character with the same appearance is the target character in any run of the evolution game, but multiple types of characters (for example, three types) are defined as branch destinations from that character in the kids stage, and multiple types of characters are individually defined as branch destinations for evolution into the young stage for each of these characters. In this case, characters A1, A2, A3, and A4 defined as growth destinations (in the young stage) of character A defined for the kids stage are characters that evolve on the condition that the target character is character A in the kids stage, and are configured so that if the target character was character B in the kids stage, it cannot evolve into these characters A1 to A4.

[0026] On the other hand, in such an embodiment, if a user intentionally desires to evolve a specific character, the user must identify the evolutionary lineage and evolutionary conditions through repeated gameplay and adjust the progress of the evolution game to achieve a similar state. However, it has been difficult to determine how the operations performed by the user at what timing (growth stage, event occurrence, etc.) in the evolution game are evaluated, and as a result, which evolutionary conditions for the target character have been met, leading to the character evolving into a specific character.

[0027] For this reason, the evolution game of this embodiment is configured so that the user can understand how the change elements that affect the appearance of the target character are acquired during the evolution game. That is, in the evolution game of this embodiment, changes to the appearance are made based on the change elements that have been acquired and accumulated for the target character, and a function is provided that allows the user to check the accumulation status of these change elements at any time.

[0028] This function is provided using a confirmation screen 300, as shown in FIG. 3, which can be transitioned to from the game screen by a predetermined operational input. Confirmation screen 300 is a screen that schematically shows the inside of a cell that constitutes the target character, with a cell nucleus 301 in the center and change elements accumulated for the target character distributed around it in the form of icons 302 as image elements. Therefore, by displaying confirmation screen 300, the user can check the change elements currently accumulated for the target character at any time. Because each change element can be confirmed in the form of icon 302, in the following description, "change elements being accumulated for the target character" may be referred to as "icons being accumulated" or "icons becoming available."

[0029] Therefore, the evolution game of this embodiment is configured so that the player has the opportunity to obtain various icons during the game, and the character to evolve into at the next stage of development is determined by referring to the icon group information stored for the target character. That is, the appearance of the evolved target character is determined based on the icon group stored for the target character.

[0030] <Accumulation of various icons> The following describes the various icons accumulated in the evolution game of this embodiment. The evolution game is provided with multiple types of icons, and each type has a different acquisition method. Each type of icon can also be provided with different types, allowing multiple types of icons to be accumulated simultaneously.

[0031] The number of icons of each type that can be acquired basically changes depending on the value of the corresponding type parameter (hereinafter referred to as the type parameter) that is associated with the target character and managed. Therefore, by performing an operation input to increase the type parameter, the user can associate the type parameter with the target character or repeatedly increase the value of the associated type parameter, thereby adjusting the number of icons corresponding to the target character that can be accumulated.

[0032] The various icons provided for the evolution game are explained in detail below.

[0033] (attribute icon) The attribute icons are accumulated based on the environmental attributes associated with the environment (area) in the evolution game. In the evolution game of this embodiment, there are three areas (plains, beaches, and highlands) with three types of attributes: land, water, and sky. The attribute parameters corresponding to the environmental attributes of the area in which the target character is placed are associated with the target character by the user's operation.

[0034] For example, the system is configured so that for every minute that the target character is placed in an area, the attribute parameter for the environmental attribute of that area is incremented by 1. And, every time the attribute parameter for one environmental attribute reaches a multiple of 15, one attribute icon for that environmental attribute is accumulated for the target character. The maximum value of the attribute parameter managed for each environmental attribute is set to 60, and up to four attribute icons can be accumulated for each type of environmental attribute. Up to a total of 10 attribute icons can be accumulated, and when more than 10 attribute icons are acquired, the attribute icon that has been accumulated the longest is released and a new attribute icon is accumulated.

[0035] In the evolution game of this embodiment, attribute icons can be accumulated when the target character is in the baby and kid stages. The fact that attribute icons accumulate as the target character stays in an area where an attribute icon is placed for a long time can be used to create the impression that the target character is familiar with and adapted to the environment in which the target character spent most of the baby and kid stages. Therefore, in the evolution game of this embodiment, when the growth stage progresses to the kid stage, the target character evolves into a character associated with the environmental attribute in which the target character stayed for the longest time. In other words, the target character evolves into a character of the species of the area in which the target character spent the longest time between the baby and kid stages. Here, the species is a concept that determines the area in which the target character will live in the subsequent young and adult stages and defines the direction of the target character's evolution. In other words, the evolutionary paths from the baby stage to the kid stage are set according to the type of environmental attribute, as shown in FIG. 4 .

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

[0037] In addition, if no operational input is made regarding an evolution instruction in response to an evolution call, it will be determined that the user does not wish to evolve into the species related to the environmental attribute in question, and the attribute parameters related to that environmental attribute will be reset and the acquisition state of the attribute icon related to that environmental attribute will be canceled.

[0038] On the other hand, if the actions taken by the user in the baby stage determine the direction of the target character's subsequent evolution, it may reduce the user's interest in the evolution game. In particular, in an aspect where a time limit is set for the baby stage, even if the user takes an action to obtain an attribute icon related to a desired environmental attribute, the user may not be able to complete the action within the time limit, and the target character may not become a character of the desired species when evolved into the kids stage.

[0039] For this reason, in the game of this embodiment, attribute parameters and attribute icons can be accumulated in the kids' stage under the same conditions as in the baby's stage. Thus, if, during the kids' stage, an attribute parameter for an environmental attribute different from that of the current target character reaches 60 and four attribute icons related to that environmental attribute are acquired, the target character may be changed to a character with that environmental attribute within the kids' stage. For example, if the target character is in the kids' stage and the land attribute parameter is 60, and the target character is placed in a water-attribute area, and the water attribute parameter subsequently reaches 60, it may be determined that the user wishes to change the character to a different species, and the target character's species may be changed to water and its appearance may be changed. In this case, since an appearance change occurs related to the species change, an evolution call may be performed similarly to the baby's stage. Furthermore, if a species change occurs during the kids' stage, the attribute parameter related to the environmental attribute before the change is reset so that the evolution conditions are clearly displayed on the confirmation screen 300. Accordingly, the acquisition of the attribute icon related to that environmental attribute is also canceled.

[0040] (Specialty product icon) From the child stage, it is also possible to accumulate local product icons. Local product icons are icons that are accumulated by giving the target character food items (local products) related to the target character's species, i.e., food items related to the environmental attributes corresponding to that species.

[0041] Here, the provision of food items to the target character is configured to be able to be done at any time using a function related to food. In the evolution game of this embodiment, in addition to normal food items that can be purchased / obtained initially, materials (specialty products) that can be collected in areas specific to the area can be obtained in the evolution game. In other words, specialty products are one type of food item that can be provided to the target character.

[0042] A plurality of types of specialty products are available in each area with each environmental attribute. That is, for each area, a plurality of types of specialty products are provided according to the environmental attribute of that area. Each specialty product is associated with a unique specialty product attribute. When a target character is given a specialty product, an attribute parameter corresponding to the specialty product attribute of that specialty product is associated with the target character.

[0043] For example, when an operation input is made to grant a specialty product to a target character as a food item, the specialty product parameter associated with the specialty product attribute of that specialty product is incremented by a number unique to that specialty product. When the specialty product parameter associated with one specialty product attribute reaches 5, one specialty product icon of that specialty product attribute is accumulated for the target character. The maximum value of the specialty product parameter managed for each specialty product attribute is similarly set to 5, and when one specialty product icon is accumulated, only the specialty product parameter is reset. When an operation input is made to grant another specialty product with the same specialty product attribute, the specialty product parameter is increased again from 0. A total of four specialty product icons can be accumulated, and when more than four specialty product icons are acquired, the specialty product icon that has been accumulated the longest is released, and a new specialty product icon is accumulated.

[0044] As described above, since multiple types of local products are provided for each environmental attribute, the local product attributes are provided as sub-attributes of the environmental attributes. In other words, the local product attributes associated with the local products correspond to any one of the types of environmental attributes.

[0045] The special product parameters are accumulated during the child stage and are referenced to determine the evolution destination of the target character in the young stage. More specifically, among the characters that can evolve from the target character's species in the child stage, depending on which special product icon is most commonly obtained, the character evolves into a character with a special product attribute corresponding to that special product icon.

[0046] As shown in Figure 4, evolution from the Kid stage to the Young stage is different for each species of character in the Kid stage (occurs within the same species), so even if a special product with a special product attribute is given to a character that cannot evolve, it will not contribute to the smooth progression of the evolution game. Therefore, the special products that can be given to a target character in the Kid stage to change the special product parameter or the number of accumulated special product icons are limited to those that correspond to the species (environmental attribute) of the target character. In other words, the special product attributes that change the special product parameter of the target character are limited to those that correspond to the species of the target character, i.e., environmental attributes with an attribute parameter of 60 or more or four attribute icons.

[0047] That is, in the evolution game of this embodiment, the type parameters involved in the evolution of the target character to the young stage include at least attribute parameters and specialty parameters, and when an operational input is made to associate a specialty parameter (an operational input to grant the specialty as a food item), the value of the specialty parameter increases, provided that an attribute icon corresponding to the specialty parameter, i.e., an attribute icon related to the same environmental attribute as the specialty parameter, has already been stored in association with the target character.

[0048] Since the duration of the Kids stage is limited, in order to achieve the desired appearance of the target character in the Young stage, it is necessary to adjust the availability of specialty icons during the Kids stage. Therefore, to make it easier to obtain the desired specialty icon (reducing the effort of repeatedly adding specialty products), adding specialty products can be replaced with adding a food item called "specialty meal," which is generated using the specialty product as an ingredient. Specialty meal is set to increase the corresponding specialty parameter more than if the ingredient specialty was simply added to the target character. In other words, specialty meal obtained using multiple specialty products as ingredients is configured to increase the specialty parameter more than if all of the ingredients were added individually.

[0049] In the evolution game of this embodiment, the Kids stage ends after a fixed period of time and switches to the Young stage. The character to be evolved into in the Young stage is determined based on the accumulated specialty icons at the time of the switch. In one aspect, unlike the character (species) to be evolved into in the Kids stage, the character to be evolved into in the Young stage is determined based on whether or not there is a bias in the accumulated specialty icons. For example, if the target character in the Kids stage is a character of a land-attribute species, the character to be evolved into is determined based on the number of accumulated specialty icons related to multiple specialty attributes associated with the land attribute. More specifically, in an aspect in which three specialty attributes A to C are provided in association with the land attribute, if the number of accumulated specialty icons related to one specialty attribute is greater than the number of accumulated specialty icons related to the other two specialty attributes, i.e., if the number of accumulated specialty icons related to that one specialty attribute is the largest, the character to be evolved into in the Young stage will be the character determined for that one specialty attribute. On the other hand, if there is no specialty product icon with the highest accumulation number alone, a fourth character related to the land attribute, different from the characters defined for specialty product attributes A to C, is determined as the character to evolve into in the young stage.

[0050] (Event related icons) In addition, in evolution games, events occur randomly for target characters. When an event occurs, a notification is given, and the user must input a corresponding operation within a predetermined time after the notification. In addition, events may also occur based on user input.

[0051] The success or failure of an event is determined based on the content of the operation input made by the user in relation to the occurrence of the event. For each event, conditions for determining whether the operation input made is successful, such as the type of operation input (or the type of item selected by the operation input) and the elapsed time from the occurrence of the event until the operation input is made, are predefined. If the operation input made satisfies the success condition, the event is determined to be successful. If the operation input made does not satisfy the success condition, or if no operation input is made for the event, the event is determined to be unsuccessful.

[0052] Events are configured to occur, for example, during the Kids stage and the Young stage. Event-related icons are icons that accumulate depending on the success or failure of events that occur for the target character. In the evolution game of this embodiment, three types are provided: the Miss Carefree Icon, the Full Belly Icon, and the Full Mood Icon. As with the attribute icons and specialty icons described above, these icons also have corresponding type parameters managed, and the number of accumulated icons is determined based on the type parameters.

[0053] The type parameters related to the event-related icons include those that increase when the event is successful and those that increase when the event is unsuccessful. The former include, for example, a fullness parameter that increases when a food item is given in response to an event that indicates the target character's hunger, and a mood parameter that increases when an appropriate response is made to an event in which the target character calls out to the user (hereinafter referred to as a "care event"). The latter include, for example, a number of mistakes parameter that increases when an appropriate response is not made to a care event.

[0054] The fullness parameter is configured so that when a food item is given to the target character, a value set for that food item is added, and the value gradually decreases over time. An upper limit is set for the fullness parameter, and when the value of the specialty parameter reaches the upper limit, one full stomach icon is accumulated. Furthermore, to ensure the visibility of various icons on the confirmation screen 300, an upper limit may be set for the number of full stomach icons that can be accumulated.

[0055] The mood parameter is configured to be increased by a predetermined value when an operation input made in connection with a help event is determined to be successful, and to be gradually decreased over time. An upper limit is set for the mood parameter, and when the value of the mood parameter reaches the upper limit, one mood MAX icon is accumulated. In addition, to ensure the visibility of various icons on the confirmation screen 300, an upper limit may be set for the number of accumulated mood MAX icons.

[0056] On the other hand, the number of mistakes parameter is configured to be incremented by 1 when an operation input made in relation to a help event is determined to be a failure. In this embodiment, one help mistake icon is accumulated each time the number of mistakes parameter made in relation to the event is incremented by 1. Furthermore, to ensure the visibility of various icons on the confirmation screen 300, an upper limit may be set for the number of help mistake icons that can be accumulated.

[0057] The various event-related icons thus accumulated are accumulated throughout the kid and young stages and are referenced to determine the evolutionary stage of the target character in the adult stage. In the evolution game of this embodiment, the evolutionary stage character in the adult stage is determined based on the number of at least one of the following accumulated icons: Miss Carefree icon, MAX Hungry icon, and MAX Happy icon for the target character.

[0058] Regarding which character a character will evolve into in adulthood, a necessary condition for the number of various event-related icons required for evolution is set for each possible character in the young stage. Therefore, which character a target character will evolve into in adulthood is determined from among the characters for which the necessary condition is satisfied. While the necessary condition is generally set so that only one necessary condition is satisfied, it may also be configured so that multiple necessary conditions can be satisfied. In this case, a character corresponding to one of the multiple necessary conditions that have been satisfied is determined as the evolved character based on a predetermined rule.

[0059] For example, as shown in Figure 4, consider the case where the evolution condition for adult character X, who can evolve from a character with land attribute A in the young stage, is set as "zero Miss Helpfulness icons, five or more Maximum Belly icons, and five or more Maximum Mood icons." In this case, when the end condition for the young stage is met, the required number of Miss Helpfulness icons and Maximum Mood icons will be met, but if there are only three Maximum Belly icons, the evolution condition will not be met. In contrast, for adult character Y, the evolution condition is set as "zero to one Miss Helpfulness icon," so the evolution condition is met and the target character evolves into character Y in the adult stage.

[0060] In this way, in the evolution game of this embodiment, the user can check the status of various type parameters at any time in the form of icons during the target character's growth process, making it easier for the user to predict the evolution conditions and providing a more enjoyable experience for conquering the game. Furthermore, as described above, the periods for accepting operation inputs (operation inputs related to the association of various type parameters) to acquire various icons are set in correspondence with the target character's respective growth stages, making it easier to predict the evolution conditions. That is, the period for accumulating attribute icons is set to the baby to kid stage, the period for accumulating specialty icons is set to the kid stage, and the period for accumulating various event-related icons is set to the kid stage to young adult stage. Therefore, the periods for increasing or decreasing the number of corresponding icons are different, making it easier for the user to predict which icons are involved in the evolution of which growth stage, and what operation inputs can be used at which growth stages to increase or decrease the number of accumulated specific icons.

[0061] 《Display sample image》 However, even if the confirmation screen 300 allows the user to check the currently available icons for the target character, it may be difficult for the user to guess the evolution conditions for some characters, such as characters that evolve under complex conditions or characters that are difficult to evolve using the general method of playing an evolution game.

[0062] For this reason, for at least some of the appearances of characters with multiple appearance types appearing in the evolution game, an image showing a sample of the cumulative distribution of icons that will evolve into a character with that appearance (hereinafter referred to as an obtained sample image) may be configured to be displayable on the display 110. The obtained sample image is not configured to be displayable by default in the evolution game, but can be configured to be displayable only when a corresponding code is distributed and the code is entered into the game device 100. Characters for which obtained sample images are provided are basically assumed to be adult characters, which tend to have a large number and variety of icons that can be obtained in the process of evolving. Therefore, codes are provided for some of the appearances of characters that can appear in the evolution game.

[0063] The code may be distributed using a printed medium such as a sticker or card on which the code is printed. In this case, the code itself is composed of numbers, alphabets (or characters such as hiragana or katakana), and symbols, and since the user cannot know which character sample image they can view, the printed medium may also have a character image with a corresponding appearance printed on it, as shown in Figure 5.

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

[0065] FIG. 6 shows an example of the display transition for a character with a predetermined appearance (hereinafter referred to as a sample character) until an acquired sample image is displayed upon input of a code.

[0066] When a code is entered on a code entry screen (not shown), the consistency of the entered code is checked, and if the code matches a code provided for any character, the display function for the corresponding sample image to be acquired is opened. When a sample character corresponding to the entered code is identified, a character image showing the appearance of the sample character, as shown in Fig. 6(a), is displayed on the display 110 to indicate what kind of appearance the sample image for the character can have. Thereafter, on the condition that, for example, a predetermined operation input is performed, the sample image for the sample character to be acquired, as shown in Fig. 6(b), is displayed.

[0067] As described above, the accumulation of various icons at each growth stage is increased based on various operational inputs related to the association of type parameters, so that the evolution conditions for various characters can be met, unless the upper limit is reached. Therefore, the evolution conditions for a specific character can be achieved by combining the minimum number of icons required to meet the evolution condition, as well as other icons that do not contribute to the evolution condition. In other words, there can be a wide variety of combinations of various icons that meet the evolution conditions for a specific character.

[0068] Therefore, the combination of various icons shown in the obtained sample image may be an example of the accumulation status of icons that meet the evolution conditions to the sample character, and does not necessarily need to show the combination of various icons in the minimum number required to evolve to the sample character. On the other hand, since the obtained sample image should be an indicator for the user to recreate the evolution to the sample character, it is preferable that it does not include other icons that do not contribute to the evolution conditions so as to avoid user misunderstanding.

[0069] For this reason, the attribute icons in the acquisition sample image indicate the number of attribute icons that must be acquired in order to evolve into a character of the species that the sample character is included in during the child stage. From another perspective, the specialty products that can be assigned to change the specialty product parameters differ depending on the species of the character in the child stage, so the attribute icons included in the acquisition sample image indicate the attribute icons that must be acquired during the child stage in order to obtain the specialty product icon shown in the image.

[0070] Additionally, some adult characters have evolutionary conditions that stipulate the number of Miss Helpfulness icons, MAX Belly icons, and MAX Happy icons that must be accumulated. Therefore, if the sample character is such a character, the sample image you obtain will also indicate the number of these event-related icons you need to acquire.

[0071] On the other hand, the specialty icons in the sample image do not indicate the number of specialty icons that must be acquired to evolve into the corresponding sample character, but rather indicate the type of specialty icon that must be acquired in greater quantities than other types in order to evolve into the sample character. In other words, as described above, for evolution from the Kids stage to the Young stage, it is sufficient for the sample image to indicate the type of specialty icon that should be the largest number of icons accumulated by itself. Therefore, if the sample image does not include other specialty icons that do not contribute to the evolution conditions, the number of specialty icons in the sample image may be any number greater than or equal to one, as long as they simply indicate the type of specialty icon that must be acquired.

[0072] <Picture Book Menu> Once a code has been input, the sample image associated with the code can be displayed without the need to input the code again, and information indicating whether or not the code has been input is managed for each character with an appearance associated with a code in the game device 100. In the evolution game of this embodiment, displaying the sample image at a time other than when the code is input can be performed from an illustrated book menu that allows checking characters with multiple appearances that can appear in the evolution game.

[0073] When an operation input for selecting the picture book menu is made, a display mode for the picture book menu as shown in FIG. 7 is started.

[0074] As shown in the figure, the encyclopedia menu of this embodiment includes a first menu 701 for displaying sample images of the appearances to which codes are set, and a second menu 702 for displaying the appearances of characters that can appear in the evolution game.

[0075] When first menu 701 is selected, characters with codes are arranged in a selectable manner on display 110, as shown in Fig. 8. Of these, for characters for which a code has already been input, a character image 801 of the character is displayed in a visible state, and for characters for which a code has not yet been input, a silhouette image 802 is displayed in which the character's appearance is not visible. Here, silhouette image 802 does not necessarily have to have the edge lines of the character in question, but may also show edge lines of a shape reminiscent of the character.

[0076] When an operation input is made to select a character image 801 (for which a code has been entered) in the first menu 701, a request to view the character (sample character) corresponding to the character image 801 is made, and an obtained sample image of the sample character is displayed.

[0077] Prior to displaying the acquired sample image, the display 110 may first display a single character image of the sample character for which a viewing request has been made, and then, upon receiving a predetermined operational input for the character image, the display may transition to the acquired sample image. The operational input for the character image may be, for example, an operation to enlarge the character image. This allows the acquired sample image to be displayed in a manner that allows the user to view cells while entering the body of the sample character.

[0078] 9, character images of a plurality of types of characters that appear in the evolution game are arranged in a selectable manner on the display 110. Of these, for an appearance into which the target character has previously evolved in a game executed on the game device, a character image 901 of that appearance is displayed in a visible state, and for an appearance into which the target character has not yet evolved, a silhouette image 902 in which that appearance is not visible is displayed. Here, the appearance into which the target character has previously evolved is not limited to the appearance of a character into which the target character currently being raised has evolved since the baby stage, but also includes the appearances of characters that the user has raised up to now on the game device 100.

[0079] When an operation input is made to select a character image 901 in the second menu 702, a request to view the appearance corresponding to the character image 901 is made, and the character image is displayed larger. In the second menu 702, an available sample image of the character for which a viewing request has been made is not displayed, and detailed information such as the name set for the character and the character's species may be additionally displayed.

[0080] Accumulation processing The accumulation process executed for accumulating various icons in the game device 100 of this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 10. The process corresponding to this flowchart can be realized by the control unit 101 reading out a corresponding processing program stored in, for example, the storage device 102, and then loading and executing the program in the memory 103. Note that this accumulation process will be described as being started when, for example, an operation input relating to the association of any type parameter with respect to the target character is detected.

[0081] In S1001, the control unit 101 determines whether the detected operation input (hereinafter referred to as the target operation input) is an operation input for increasing an attribute parameter (an operation input related to changing the area in which the target character is placed). If the control unit 101 determines that the target operation input is an operation input for increasing an attribute parameter, the control unit 101 proceeds to S1002, and if the control unit 101 determines that the target operation input is not an operation input for increasing an attribute parameter, the control unit 101 proceeds to S1006.

[0082] In S1002, the control unit 101 determines whether the conditions for increasing the attribute parameter are met. The determination in this step is made based on the time elapsed since the target character was placed in the area. If the control unit 101 determines that the conditions for increasing the attribute parameter are met, the control unit 101 proceeds to S1003, and if it determines that the conditions are not met, the control unit 101 repeats the processing in this step.

[0083] In S1003, the control unit 101 increases an attribute parameter related to the environmental attribute of the area in which the target character is placed.

[0084] In S1004, the control unit 101 determines whether the attribute parameter value after the increase in S1003 satisfies the condition for storing a new attribute icon. If the control unit 101 determines that the attribute parameter value after the increase satisfies the condition for storing a new attribute icon, the control unit 101 proceeds to S1005, and if it determines that the condition is not satisfied, the control unit 101 ends this storage process.

[0085] In S1005, the control unit 101 accumulates one new attribute icon relating to the environmental attribute of the area in which the target character is placed, and completes this accumulation process.

[0086] On the other hand, if it is determined in S1001 that the target operation input is not an operation input for increasing an attribute parameter, the control unit 101 determines in S1006 whether the target operation input is an operation input for increasing a special product parameter (an operation input related to imparting a special product to the target character). If the control unit 101 determines that the target operation input is an operation input for increasing a special product parameter, it shifts the processing to S1007, and if it determines that the target operation input is not an operation input for increasing a special product parameter, it shifts the processing to S1010.

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

[0088] In S1008, the control unit 101 determines whether the value of the specialty product parameter after the increase in S1007 satisfies the condition for accumulating a new specialty product icon. If the control unit 101 determines that the value of the specialty product parameter after the increase satisfies the condition for accumulating a new specialty product icon, the control unit 101 proceeds to S1009, and if it determines that the condition is not satisfied, the control unit 101 ends this accumulation process.

[0089] In S1009, the control unit 101 accumulates one new local product icon related to the local product attribute of the local product assigned to the target character, and completes this accumulation process.

[0090] On the other hand, if it is determined in S1006 that the target operation input is not an operation input for increasing the specialty product parameter, that is, if it is determined that the target operation input is an operation input made in connection with an event, the control unit 101 determines in S1010 whether the event caused by the target operation input will be successful or not.

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

[0092] In S1012, the control unit 101 determines whether the value of the type parameter after increase in S1011 satisfies the condition for storing new event-related icons (at least the MAX Hungry icon, MAX Happy icon, and Miss Helpful icon). If the control unit 101 determines that the value of the type parameter after increase satisfies the condition for storing new event-related icons, it proceeds to S1013, and if it determines that the condition is not satisfied, it ends this storage process.

[0093] In S1013, the control unit 101 accumulates one new event-related icon that satisfies the accumulation condition, and then completes this accumulation process.

[0094] <<Display Control Processing>> Next, the display control process executed in relation to the display of a newly acquired sample image in the game device 100 of this embodiment will be described in detail using the flowchart in Fig. 11. The process corresponding to this flowchart can be realized by the control unit 101 reading out a corresponding processing program stored in, for example, the storage device 102, and loading and executing the program in the memory 103. Note that this display control process will be described as being started when, for example, an operation input related to the completion of code input is detected on a code input screen.

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

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

[0097] In S1103, under the control of the control unit 101, the display control device 104 causes the display 110 to display a character image of a sample character corresponding to the target code. Thereafter, the display control device 104 causes the display 110 to display an obtained sample image of the sample character, and this display control process is completed.

[0098] As described above, the game device of this embodiment makes it easy for the user to adjust the game progress as intended.

[0099] [Variation 1] In the above-described embodiment, the "imparting" of a game element to a target character refers to the ingestion of a local specialty product or local specialty rice as a food item, but the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. The "imparting" of a game element to increase a predetermined type parameter can also include, for example, using an item associated with one of the attributes on the target character or equipping the target character with an item. In addition, the increase of a predetermined type parameter can also include, for example, interacting with another character associated with one of the attributes.

[0100] [Variation 2] In the above-described embodiment and modified example, the game executed on the game device 100 is described as an evolution game in which the target character's appearance is changed as the game progresses, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can also include electronic games in which different characters with different appearances appear sequentially, rather than the same target character. In other words, it goes without saying that electronic games to which the present invention is applicable are not limited to games of a specific genre, such as evolution games.

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

[0102] [Summary of the embodiment] The above-described embodiment discloses at least the following game device and program.

[0103] (1) A computer that executes a game in which the appearance of characters is changed as the game progresses, and in which multiple types of characters can appear, an input process for receiving an operation input for associating a type parameter related to the type with a target character appearing in the game; a management process for accumulating and managing the type parameters associated with the target character based on the operation input; a determination process for determining a post-change appearance of the target character based on the type parameters accumulated for the target character; A program that executes the following.

[0104] (2) The program described in (1), wherein the type parameters include a first type parameter associated based on an environmental attribute of the environment in the game in which the target character is placed.

[0105] (3) There are multiple types of environmental attributes, The program described in (2) in which the determination process determines the appearance of the character corresponding to the environmental attribute of the same type as the changed appearance, on the condition that the first type parameters associated based on the environmental attribute of the same type have accumulated beyond a threshold value.

[0106] (4) The game includes an item that can be given to the target character; The program according to (3), wherein the type parameters include a second type parameter associated based on an item attribute of the item given to the target character.

[0107] (5) The program described in (4), wherein the determination process determines the changed appearance of the target character according to the second type parameters accumulated when the game has progressed to a predetermined stage.

[0108] (6) There are a plurality of types of the item attributes, and each of the item attributes is associated with one of the types of the environmental attributes. The program according to (4) or (5), wherein the management process accumulates and manages the second type parameters on the condition that the item attribute related to the second type parameter associated by the operation input corresponds to the environmental attribute related to the first type parameter accumulated in an amount equal to or greater than the threshold.

[0109] (7) The type parameters include at least a first type parameter and a second type parameter; The program described in (1) in which the management process accumulates and manages the second type of parameter when the operation input associating the second type of parameter is accepted, provided that the first type of parameter has already been accumulated in association with the target character.

[0110] (8) The program according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the type parameters include a third type parameter associated with the target character depending on whether the event that occurred for the target character was successful or not.

[0111] (9) The program according to (8), wherein the success or failure of the event is determined based on an operation input made in relation to the event.

[0112] (10) For each of the plurality of types of characters, a necessary condition for the type parameters that must be accumulated in order to change the appearance of the character is determined in advance; The program described in any one of (1) to (9), wherein the determination process determines a character to be used as the target character's changed appearance from among characters whose necessary conditions are met by the type parameters accumulated for the target character.

[0113] (11) At least some of the characters of the plurality of types of characters are provided with one or more other characters that can be selected as the appearance of the character after the change; The program described in any one of (1) to (10), wherein the determination process determines a character to be used as the target character's changed appearance from among one or more other characters that are selectable in relation to the target character, based on the type parameters accumulated for the target character.

[0114] (12) The game proceeds in stages, The program according to any one of (1) to (11), wherein the operation input that can be accepted by the input processing is determined for each stage of the game that is currently in progress.

[0115] (13) The program described in any one of (1) to (12) further causes the computer to execute a display control process for displaying on a display device an image including the type parameters stored in association with the target character as image elements.

[0116] (14) A game device for executing a game in which the appearance of characters is changed as the game progresses, and in which a plurality of types of characters can appear, an input means for receiving an operation input for associating a type parameter relating to the type with a target character appearing in the game; a management means for accumulating and managing the type parameters associated with the target character based on the operation input; a determining means for determining a post-change appearance of the target character based on the type parameters accumulated for the target character; A game device comprising: [Explanation of symbols]

[0117] 100: Game device, 101: Control unit, 104: Display control device, 105: Operation I / F, 110: Display

Claims

1. A computer that executes a game in which the appearance of a character is changed as the game progresses and in which a plurality of types of characters can appear, an input process for receiving an operation input for associating a type parameter related to the type with a target character appearing in the game; a management process for accumulating and managing the type parameters associated with the target character based on the operation input; a determination process for determining a post-change appearance of the target character based on the type parameters accumulated for the target character; A program for executing the type parameters include at least a first type parameter and a second type parameter; The management process is a program that, when the operation input associating the second type parameter is accepted, controls whether or not to associate the second type parameter with the target character and store it, depending on the type of the first type parameter that has already been associated with the target character and stored.

2. The first type parameter is associated based on an environmental attribute of an environment in the game in which the target character is placed. The program according to claim 1.

3. There are multiple types of environmental attributes, the determination process determines, on condition that the first type parameters associated based on the same type of environmental attribute have accumulated to exceed a threshold, an appearance of the character corresponding to the type of environmental attribute as the changed appearance; The program according to claim 2.

4. The game is provided with an item that can be given to the target character, The second type parameter is associated based on an item attribute of an item given to the target character. The program according to claim 3.

5. the determination process determines the changed appearance of the target character in accordance with the second type parameters accumulated when the game has progressed to a predetermined stage. The program according to claim 4.

6. There are a plurality of types of the item attribute, and each item attribute is associated with one of the types of the environmental attribute; the management process accumulates and manages the second-type parameters on the condition that the item attribute related to the second-type parameters associated by the operation input corresponds to the environmental attribute related to the first-type parameters accumulated in the amount equal to or greater than the threshold. The program according to claim 4.

7. The management process accumulates and manages the second-type parameters when the operation input associating the second-type parameters is accepted, on the condition that the first-type parameters have already been accumulated in association with the target character. The program according to claim 1.

8. the type parameters include a third type parameter associated with the target character depending on whether the event occurred with respect to the target character is successful or not; The program according to claim 1.

9. The success or failure of the event is determined based on an operation input made in relation to the event. The program according to claim 8.

10. a necessary condition for the type parameter that needs to be accumulated in order to change the appearance of the character is determined in advance for each of the plurality of types of characters; the determination process determines a character to be used as the target character's post-change appearance from among characters for which the necessary conditions are satisfied by the type parameters accumulated for the target character; The program according to claim 1.

11. At least some of the characters of the plurality of types of characters are provided with one or more other characters that can be selected as the appearance of the character after the change; the determination process determines a character to be used as the target character's post-change appearance from among the one or more selectable other characters related to the target character, based on the type parameters accumulated for the target character; The program according to claim 1.

12. The game progresses in stages, the operation input that can be accepted by the input processing is determined for each stage of the game that is currently in progress; The program according to claim 1.

13. The input processing receives the operation input associating the second type parameter from a stage later than a stage of the game at which reception of the operation input associating the first type parameter begins. The program according to claim 12.

14. the program further causes the computer to execute a display control process of displaying, on a display device, an image including, as image elements, the type parameters stored in association with the target character. The program according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. A game device for executing a game in which the appearance of a character is changed as the game progresses, and in which a plurality of types of characters can appear, an input means for receiving an operation input for associating a type parameter relating to the type with a target character appearing in the game; a management means for accumulating and managing the type parameters associated with the target character based on the operation input; a determining means for determining a post-change appearance of the target character based on the type parameters accumulated for the target character; Equipped with the type parameters include at least a first type parameter and a second type parameter; The management means controls, when the operation input associating the second type parameter is accepted, whether or not to associate and accumulate the second type parameter with the target character, depending on the type of the first type parameter already accumulated in association with the target character.

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