Computer program for mahjong game, and game system and control method for mahjong game

Abstract

To provide a mah-jongg game allowing even a user who is not always experienced in mah-jongg to suitably grasp a winning combination and its importance during a match.SOLUTION: In a game system including a computer that functions so as to provide a mah-jongg game, the computer is allowed to function as opportunity discriminating means that discriminates whether a winning combination name presentation opportunity at which a winning combination name of an object winning combination should be presented to a player with at least one winning combination in mah-jongg as the object winning combination is reached during progress of a match of one game, and winning combination name presenting means that presents a winning combination name of an object winning combination to a player such that a degree of importance in a match of one game of the object winning combination can be discriminated when it is determined that a winning combination name presentation opportunity is reached.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a computer program or the like for providing a mahjong game.

Background Art

[0002] Various game systems for providing providing mah mahjong games have been provided (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this type of game system, it is common to progress the game in accordance with the rules and procedures established in mahjong as a game or competition using physical mahjong tiles. A mahjong game system equipped with an assist function for assisting a player's play is also known (see Non-Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Non-Patent Documents

[0004]

Non-Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In Mahjong, various hands are assigned different point values ​​based on factors such as the probability of completing them. The level of hand one aims for is a crucial element in the game's strategy and tactics. However, for those unfamiliar with Mahjong, memorizing the diverse range of hands is not easy. Furthermore, even after memorizing the hands, actual games require quick decisions about which hands are likely to be completed and the appropriate discards and actions. For inexperienced players, performing such actions quickly can be difficult, and this is one factor contributing to the tendency to avoid Mahjong games.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a computer program or the like for realizing a mahjong game that allows players who are not necessarily familiar with mahjong to appropriately grasp the hands and their importance during a match. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A computer program according to one aspect of the present invention is a computer program for a mahjong game that causes a computer to function to provide a mahjong game, wherein the computer is configured to function as an opportunity determination means for determining whether an opportunity to present the name of at least one mahjong hand to the player has arrived during the progress of a game, and a hand name presentation means for presenting the name of the target hand to the player, if it is determined that such an opportunity has arrived, in such a way that the importance of the target hand in the game can be determined.

[0008] A game system according to one aspect of the present invention is a game system including a computer that functions to provide a mahjong game, wherein the computer is configured to function as an opportunity determination means for determining whether an opportunity to present the name of at least one mahjong hand to the player has arrived during the progress of a game, and a name presentation means for presenting the name of the target hand to the player in a manner that allows the importance of the target hand in the game to be determined, if it has been determined that such an opportunity has arrived.

[0009] A game control method according to one aspect of the present invention is a game control method for causing a computer to function to provide a mahjong game, wherein the computer functions as an opportunity determination means for determining whether an opportunity to present the name of at least one mahjong hand to the player has arrived during the progress of a game, and a hand name presentation means for presenting the name of the target hand to the player, if it is determined that such an opportunity has arrived, in such a way that the importance of the target hand in the game can be determined. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] A diagram showing an example configuration of a game system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the control system configuration for a game device. [Figure 3] An example of a game screen is shown in the diagram. [Figure 4] Enlarged view of the pressure gauge. [Figure 5] A diagram illustrating the relationship between the gauge level control of the excitement gauge and the visual effects. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of a game screen when the excitement level has risen above the level shown in Figure 3. [Figure 7] This diagram shows an example of a game screen that displays the rewards awarded to players at the end of a match. [Figure 8]Enlarged view of the reward display section in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] Diagram showing an example of a cut-in image when there is a calling action. [Figure 10] Diagram showing an example of a hand card information image. [Figure 11] Enlarged view of the information display section included in the game screen of FIG. 3. [Figure 12] Diagram showing an example of the display of the role name in the information display section. [Figure 13] Diagram showing an example of the display when a straight can be formed by self-drawn tiles and the tiles in the hand. [Figure 14] ]]Diagram showing an example of the display when a pung can be formed by self-drawn tiles and the tiles in the hand. [Figure 15] Diagram showing an example of the display when multiple sets of melds can be formed. [Figure 16] Diagram showing an example of the display when a straight is formed in the hand. [Figure 17] Diagram showing an example of the display when a pung is formed in the hand. [Figure 18] Diagram showing an example of the display when a kong is formed in the hand. [Figure 19] Diagram showing an example of displaying the target tiles of multiple sets of melds in order. [Figure 20] Diagram showing an example of displaying the target tiles of multiple sets of melds simultaneously. [Figure 21] Diagram showing another example of displaying the target tiles of multiple sets of melds simultaneously. [Figure 22] Diagram showing an example of the call guidance image displayed when a call action is possible. [Figure 23] Diagram showing an example of the self-drawn cut image displayed when there is a self-drawn cut action. [Figure 24] Diagram showing an example of the dragon tile image displayed to present the dragon tile. [Figure 25] Diagram showing an example of the recommended degree presentation image displayed to present the tile that changes the number of waits. [Figure 26] Diagram showing an example of the honor tile image displayed to present the honor tiles in the hand. [Figure 27]A diagram showing an example of an image displaying the number of tiles needed to complete a hand. [Figure 28] This diagram shows an example of an image displaying the necessary tiles to reach a ready hand (tenpai). [Figure 29] This diagram shows an example of a parent house verification image that is displayed to indicate that the player is the parent house. [Figure 30] This diagram shows an example of a discard tile display image that shows which tiles should be discarded to reach a ready hand (tenpai). [Figure 31] This diagram shows an example of a Dora information image that appears when the number of Dora tile types increases. [Figure 32] A flowchart illustrating an example of the procedure for performance control processing performed by the performance control unit. [Figure 33] A flowchart illustrating an example of the reward control process performed by the performance control unit. [Figure 34] A flowchart illustrating an example of the procedure for presenting reference information performed by the assist control unit. [Figure 35] A flowchart illustrating an example of the procedure for the role name presentation process performed by the assist control unit. [Figure 36] A flowchart showing an example of the procedure for displaying face cards, which is performed by the assist control unit. [Figure 37] Flowchart following Figure 36. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. Figure 1 shows an example of a game system to which a computer program for a mahjong game according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. The game system 1 in Figure 1 is configured as a client-server type system including a game server 2, a game device 3 that functions as a client of the game server 2 by being connected to the game server 2 via a network NT (for example, the Internet), and a user device 4.

[0012] Game Server 2 may be configured by combining multiple server units as appropriate, or it may be configured as a single server unit. Game Server 2 may also be configured as a cloud server utilizing cloud computing technology. Game Server 2 provides various services related to the game played on Game Device 3 to both Game Device 3 and User Device 4. For example, Game Server 2 may provide various services such as storing play data that records a user's gameplay in association with user identification information, providing the play data to Game Device 3 upon user request, or providing a chat function in which users of Game Device 3 and User Device 4 can participate and communicate with each other. Note that "user" is a general term for anyone who uses or intends to use Game Device 3 or User Device 4, and a user who actually plays the Mahjong game is called a "player".

[0013] Game device 3 is configured, for example, as a commercial game machine that allows users to play a game in exchange for payment of a play fee. This type of game device 3 is sometimes called an arcade game machine. The play fee is not limited to being collected in cash, but may also be collected using alternative currencies or electronic payment methods. The play fee is not limited to being collected each time the game is played, but may also be collected as a fixed fee at predetermined intervals. Game device 3 is installed in amusement stores or other facilities 5 whose main purpose is to generate revenue by having a large number of users repeatedly play the game. Game device 3 provides a mahjong game by executing a predetermined computer program for mahjong.

[0014] User device 4 is a device provided for the user's personal use and is an information communication terminal device equipped with information communication functions via the network NT. For example, a smartphone 4a or a PC (abbreviation for personal computer) 4b equipped with communication and calling functions may be used as user device 4. User device 4 may be used for purposes such as viewing game data played on game device 3, exchanging information about games with other users, or watching a mahjong game being played. User device 4 may also be used to play the same game as the user of game device 3.

[0015] When a common mahjong game is played across multiple game devices 3, the game's progress is controlled to ensure consistent gameplay across them. For example, the game devices 3 playing the common mahjong game may share various information via a network NT while each game device 3 performs the necessary calculations for game progression. Alternatively, one of the game devices 3 may act as a host, performing the necessary calculations for the mahjong game's progression and providing the results to the other game devices 3. Alternatively, a game server 2 may handle at least some of the calculations necessary for the mahjong game's progression, either in place of or in addition to the game devices 3.

[0016] Figure 2 shows an example of the control system configuration of the game device 3. The game device 3 comprises a control unit 10 and a memory unit 11. The control unit 10 is configured as a computer including a CPU and internal memory necessary for its operation. The memory unit 11 is a non-volatile and rewritable memory device that functions as an external memory device for the control unit 10.

[0017] The control unit 10 is connected to an operating device 21 as an input device, and a display device 22 and a speaker device 23 as output devices. The operating device 21 may appropriately include, for example, physical input devices such as buttons and levers located on the control section of the game device 3, or a touch panel type input device located on the screen of the display device 22. In this embodiment, a touch panel type input device is included so that the player can instruct various actions and selections in the game by touching appropriate positions on the screen displayed on the display device 22. In addition to the devices 21 to 23 described above, the control unit 10 may also be connected to other appropriate related devices.

[0018] The memory unit 11 stores the game program Pg, game data Dg, and play data Dp. The game program Pg is a computer program that works in cooperation with the operating system that controls the basic operation of the control unit 10 to cause the control unit 10 to execute the calculations and operation controls necessary for the game, and is positioned as a so-called application program. The game data Dg is data that is referenced as appropriate in the control of the game by the control unit 10. For example, the game data Dg includes image data of various objects to be displayed on the game screen, and initial values ​​of parameter sets for characters that appear in the game. The play data Dp is data that records the user's gameplay, is updated as appropriate in accordance with game play, and is saved to the game server 2 at an appropriate time.

[0019] The control unit 10 is equipped with a game control unit 12, a performance control unit 13, and an assist control unit 14, which are logical devices realized through the combination of its computer hardware and the game program Pg. The internal memory of the control unit 10 stores status data Ds that describe the progress of the mahjong game. The status data Ds is updated as needed in accordance with the processing of the game control unit 12, the performance control unit 13, and the assist control unit 14. At least a portion of the information contained in the status data Ds is saved to the play data Dp of the memory unit 11 at an appropriate time.

[0020] The game control unit 12 performs various calculations necessary to advance the mahjong game. The control by the game control unit 12 may be performed in accordance with the rules and procedures of a normal mahjong game. For example, the game control unit 12 controls various processes necessary to advance the mahjong game, such as the processing at the start of the game, such as shuffling the tiles, determining the dealer, and dealing the tiles, the processing of various actions that occur during the game, such as drawing and discarding (drawing and discarding tiles), calling, reaching, and winning, and the settlement of points (point sticks) corresponding to winning (winning) or a draw. The control by the game control unit 12 only needs to be in accordance with the general rules and procedures of mahjong, and the details of those procedures will not be explained.

[0021] The performance control unit 13 controls the visual effects in the mahjong game. The visual effects controlled by the performance control unit 13 include those that change according to the progress of the game during each round. "One round" refers to the period from the start of the game until the result of the round as a unit of play is determined by a win or a draw, for example, the first round of the East wind. Therefore, the performance control unit 13 changes the visual effects as appropriate during a round. The assist control unit 14 provides the player with various assist functions that are available to help the player play during a round.

[0022] Figure 3 shows an example of a game screen displayed during a single game. In the following description, the Mahjong game is played using physical Mahjong tiles and following the same rules and procedures as regular Mahjong played by four people, and the four players are referred to as opponents. Of the opponents, the one player who operates the game device 3 is sometimes referred to as the player, and the other three players who play against the player are sometimes referred to as opponents. The opponents may be real opponents who are to become players in other game devices 3, or they may be virtual opponents generated by a computer and whose actions are controlled.

[0023] The game screen 100 in Figure 3 is an example of a screen displayed on the display device 22 to allow the player of the game device 3 to recognize the status of the game during a match. The game screen 100 is provided with a game display unit 101 and an information display unit 102. The game display unit 101 shows a virtual player, or avatar character 103, which is one-to-one with the players, playing mahjong around the board on the stage 104. For the player of the game device 3, one character is set as the virtual player, just like with the opponent. However, the game display unit 101 is generated as an image from the subjective viewpoint of the player of the game device 3 observing the board. Therefore, the character corresponding to the player is not displayed on the game display unit 101. Instead, the player's character 103 is displayed on the information display unit 102.

[0024] The game display unit 101 displays the player's hand 105, consisting of 13 tiles, with each tile arranged side by side so that the player can see its contents. When a player draws a tile, the drawn tile 106 is displayed to the right of the hand 105. The game display unit 101 also displays each player's discarded tiles 107, and inside each discarded tile 107, each player's current score 108 is displayed. The display of the remaining tiles and the dora tiles is omitted, but they may also be displayed in the game display unit 101.

[0025] The game display unit 101 also displays an excitement gauge 110 and a background image 120 as elements related to the performance control by the performance control unit 13. Below, an example of performance control by the performance control unit 13 using the excitement gauge 110 and the background image 120 will be described.

[0026] The excitement gauge 110 displays an excitement gauge amount (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as gauge amount) that quantitatively represents the degree of excitement in the match, allowing players to grasp it visually. The gauge amount is an example of an indicator value that indicates the degree of excitement and is set as a value that does not affect the outcome of the match. The excitement gauge 110 is also an example of an indicator value display image. The background image 120 functions as an example of an effect image that is displayed on the game screen 100 to generate effects corresponding to the degree of excitement indicated by the gauge amount.

[0027] The gauge amount for the excitement gauge 110 is set as a common value for all four players. In other words, the gauge amount does not differ for each player. On the other hand, the gauge amount changes depending on the influence each of the four players has on the state of the game. For example, the gauge amount changes during a game depending on the content and type of action or change when each player chooses a predetermined action, or when a predetermined change occurs in the state of any player's hand. However, the change in the gauge amount may be a unidirectional change, increasing in response to the players' actions or changes in the state of their hands, or it may be a bidirectional change, increasing or decreasing as appropriate. For example, a process may be applied to decrease the gauge amount when an action occurs that detracts from the excitement of the game, or when a change occurs in the state of the hands.

[0028] Figure 4 shows a specific example of the bulge gauge 110. The bulge gauge 110 in Figure 4 includes a gauge body 111 and a contribution display unit 112. The gauge body 111 further includes a bar gauge section 111a that displays the gauge quantity in a bar graph shape and a numerical section 111b that displays the gauge quantity numerically. The gauge quantity is expressed as a natural number between a minimum value of 0 and a predetermined maximum value, for example. The larger the numerical value of the gauge quantity, the higher the degree of bulge. The bar gauge section 111a has its left end corresponding to a gauge quantity of 0 and its right end corresponding to the maximum value of the gauge quantity, and expands and contracts according to the numerical value shown in the numerical section 111b. The bar gauge section 111a is divided into four stages for each fixed amount of gauge quantity. The right side indicates a higher stage of bulge. The bulge gauge 110 is given the name "Fight Voltage" as an example, and this name is written on the upper left of the gauge body 111.

[0029] The contribution display unit 112 shows the contribution of each player to the gauge amount of the excitement gauge 110. The contribution is a quantitative value that represents the influence each player has on the gauge amount. As described above, the gauge amount is a value common to all four players and changes when each player selects a predetermined action or when a predetermined change occurs in the state of each player's hand. Therefore, the gauge amount is the sum of the individual gauge amounts for each of the four players, which are determined according to their respective contributions. By dividing the individual gauge amounts by the total gauge amount, each player's contribution can be expressed as the ratio of the individual gauge amounts to the total gauge amount.

[0030] The contribution display unit 112 is provided with individual areas 112a that are one-to-one correspondence with each player. In the individual area 112a, a character icon 112b symbolizing the character 103 associated with the player is displayed, and next to the character icon 112b, the contribution of each player is displayed as a percentage (%). In addition, the individual area 112a also displays an identification unit 112c indicating whether each player is the East, South, West, or North player. Furthermore, the individual area 112a also displays a puppet unit 112d indicating the number of puppets. The number of puppets is the number of times each player has increased the gauge amount.

[0031] Figure 5 shows an example of the mechanism for controlling the game's presentation by the presentation control unit 13. In Figure 5, the four players P1 to P4 are shown as hatched shapes, and the characters C1 to C4 associated with each player P1 to P4 are shown as outlined shapes. A game begins at time Ts, and ends at time Te when one of the players wins or the game ends in a draw. White circles during the game indicate the occurrence of events that affect the gauge amount. Events occur when one of the players takes a predetermined action, or when a predetermined change occurs in the state of one of the players' hands.

[0032] Actions taken by players to trigger events include various actions that are considered to change the situation in a normal mahjong game, such as calling tiles (pon or chi), kan, and riichi, as well as actions that activate character skills, which are set as functions unique to this form of mahjong game. Skills are a type of character ability that is activated based on the player's instructions and are related to the manifestation of some of the assist functions by the assist control unit 14 shown in Figure 2. Since characters are set up in association with each player, the player's character skills can be positioned as skills associated with the player.

[0033] Each of the characters C1 to C4 has at least one parameter PM1 to PM4 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as PM) associated with their skills. For example, each of the characters C1 to C4 has a parameter PM that indicates their level of development, and the ability to activate skills changes depending on the size of this parameter PM. The higher the level of development parameter PM, the easier it is to activate skills, or the more advanced skills can be activated. The assist functions that are activated by skills will be described later. The actions of the players to trigger events are not limited to the above examples, and may include appropriate actions such as using items that increase the level of excitement.

[0034] The state of the hand associated with the occurrence of an event may be evaluated based on various factors that allow for an objective assessment of the quality of the hand, such as the number of tiles needed to complete a hand, whether or not the hand is in a ready state, the number of dora tiles, the number of waiting tiles, and the expected number of han (points) if the hand is won. When a certain change occurs in the elements set as targets for evaluating the state of the hand, such as a change in the number of tiles needed to complete a hand, reaching or ending a ready state, a change in the number of dora tiles or waiting tiles, or a change in the expected number of han, an event may be triggered, indicating that a predetermined change has occurred in the state of the hand. The timing and number of events shown in Figure 5 are simplified examples, and the occurrence of events in an actual match may be diverse.

[0035] The performance control unit 13 monitors the status of the game controlled by the game control unit 12, and each time an event occurs with respect to any of the players P1 to P4, it changes the gauge amount G of the excitement gauge according to the content of the event, and records the player who caused the event and the amount of change ΔG of the gauge amount G. The amount of change ΔG may be a constant value regardless of the content of the event, or it may be dynamically changed according to the content of the event. For example, when increasing the gauge amount G in response to the actions of the players, the amount of change ΔG may be differentiated such that actions that are thought to have a relatively higher effect of increasing tension in the game as the outcome of the game approaches, such as Riichi and Tenpai, produce a larger positive change ΔG compared to actions that have a relatively lower effect, compared to actions that may occur as appropriate in the process of making a hand, such as Pon, Chi, and Kan. Alternatively, when increasing the gauge amount G in response to a change in the state of the hand, the amount of change ΔG may be differentiated such that the amount of change ΔG increases in the positive direction as the expected number of han increases or as the number of dora tiles increases. When increasing the gauge amount G in response to skill activation, the change amount ΔG may be differentiated such that the higher the character's value, as evaluated by the character's skill ability or parameters such as PM, the larger the positive change amount ΔG becomes. The character's value may be evaluated using concepts such as rarity or level of development.

[0036] The change amount ΔG is not limited to positive values; it may also take negative values. For example, if a player takes an action that worsens their hand, this action may be treated as a type of event, and a negative change amount ΔG may be generated. Furthermore, the change amount ΔG may change dynamically according to the gauge amount. For example, when the gauge amount is relatively small, the change amount ΔG for any event may be set to be relatively small, and as the gauge amount increases, the change amount ΔG corresponding to the same event may be set to be gradually larger. In this case, the more exciting the game becomes, the greater the acceleration of the gauge amount increase, which can represent the excitement building up.

[0037] Furthermore, each time the gauge amount is updated, the performance control unit 13 calculates the contributions N1 to N4 of each player P1 to P4 to the gauge amount G at the time of the update. The performance control unit 13 then changes the gauge amount of the rise gauge 110 in Figure 4 according to the updated gauge amount G, and updates the contribution display in the contribution display unit 112. In addition, the performance control unit 13 changes the display mode of the game display unit 101 in Figure 3 so that performances are generated according to the gauge amount. Examples of changes in the game display unit 101 for performances will be described later.

[0038] Furthermore, when a match ends, the performance control unit 13 calculates the change in parameter PM ΔPM1 to ΔPM4 for characters C1 to C4 corresponding to each player P1 to P4, based on the gauge amount G at the end of the match and the contribution levels N1 to N4 of each player. For example, the product of the gauge amount and the contribution level is calculated for each player, and the value of parameter PM is changed according to the obtained value. For example, the change in parameter PM ΔPM1 to ΔPM4 for each player may be calculated such that the parameter PM increases as the gauge amount increases, and the change (increment) of parameter PM increases as the contribution level increases.

[0039] The character 103 appearing in the game screen 100 of Figure 3 can be acquired by each player through a paid or free lottery, or by purchase, and is provided as a game element that can be continuously used by the same player across multiple matches, or across multiple sets when a predetermined number of matches, such as a half-game, is considered one set. Therefore, the change in parameter PM functions as an example of a reward given to each player according to their gauge amount and contribution. If character 103 has differentiating elements such as rarity and development level set according to the size of parameter PM or the level of abilities such as skills, an increase in parameter PM will act to increase the rarity and development level of character 103. However, rewards are not limited to an increase in the parameter PM of character 103. Various rewards may be set, such as the granting of items that can be used in the Mahjong game, or items that can be used in a certain range of games without being limited to the Mahjong game, or the granting of points that can be used to purchase or get discounts on items.

[0040] Returning to Figure 3, let's explain an example of a visual effect corresponding to the level of the excitement gauge 110. As mentioned above, the match display section 101 of the game screen 100 includes a background image 120 as a display element to add visual effects to the game screen 100 according to the level of excitement. The background image 120 is composed of an image that depicts a match between characters 103 being watched by a large number of spectators 121 holding light sticks 122. As the level of the excitement gauge 110 increases, the display mode of the background image 120 changes to represent the increasing level of excitement, or in other words, the level of enthusiasm, of the spectators 121.

[0041] As an example, the display mode of the background image 120 changes in four stages, corresponding to the four stages of the bar gauge section 111a. For example, at stages where the gauge amount is relatively small, the background image 120 depicts spectators 121 sitting and watching the game. As the gauge amount changes to larger stages, the background image 120 changes to express the increasing level of excitement among the spectators, such as the spectators 121 gradually becoming more enthusiastic in waving their light sticks 122, or the spectators 121 standing up and their movements becoming more enthusiastic. Figure 3 shows an example where the gauge amount has increased to the third stage, and the scene depicts some spectators 121 standing up and vigorously waving their light sticks 122, expressing the increasing excitement in the stands.

[0042] Figure 6 shows an example of the background image 120 when the gauge amount increases to the fourth stage. In Figure 6, almost all of the spectators 121 are depicted standing up and vigorously moving while waving their light sticks 122. This expresses the excitement in the audience seats reaching its peak. Although not shown in the illustration, for example, when the gauge amount is at the first stage, the spectators may be shown watching quietly, and when it is at the second stage, the spectators 121 may be shown waving their light sticks 122, thereby expressing the degree of excitement through the background image 120 according to the stage of the gauge amount. Also, although not shown in the figure, as the gauge amount changes to a larger stage, the color tone of the background image 120 may be changed, for example, to gray, blue or green, or red, thereby distinguishing and expressing the degree of excitement through the color tone of the background image 120. Furthermore, the change in the performance according to the gauge amount may be applied not only to the background image 120 but also to display elements such as the character 103. Similar to the lighting and sound effects used to create excitement at actual events related to games, music, sports, etc., the degree of excitement may be expressed by changing the display patterns of each part of the game screen 100, or by using changes in the effects provided by the physical lighting devices of the game device 3, or by using changes in the sound effects such as sound effects and background music generated by the speaker device 23.

[0043] Figure 7 shows an example of a game screen 130 that is displayed when a match has ended and the amount of the excitement gauge and the contribution level have been determined. One of the purposes of displaying the game screen 130 is to show the player the update of parameters as rewards given according to the amount of the gauge and the contribution level, and the change in the state of character 103 that occurs as a result of that update. In the example in Figure 7, the player possesses a character card, and character 103 corresponding to that card appears on the game screen 100 such as Figure 3, and the parameter PM in Figure 5 is expressed as a value that indicates the level of training of character 103 corresponding to the player's card (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the training value).

[0044] Cards are assigned rarity levels such as S, SR, and SSR, depending on the difficulty of obtaining them, which is determined by factors such as the probability of drawing them. The value of cards is differentiated according to their rarity, with higher rarity cards having a larger upper limit on their training value. In addition, multiple levels are set for each rarity level. As the training value of a card increases, the level gradually rises, and the value of the card changes so that higher levels are advantageous in increasing the amount of the excitement gauge. For example, the higher the training value level, the more the abilities of character 103 in the game increase, making it easier to activate skills, the stronger the effect associated with skill activation, or the larger the change in the amount of gauge ΔG (Figure 5) corresponding to a single event. Thus, the training value of a card and the influence that the character corresponding to the card has on the gauge amount are related. The training value of a card also acts as the popularity of character 103 as seen by the audience, as displayed in the background image 120. In other words, the higher the training value of a card, the more popular character 103 corresponding to that card is, and the greater the contribution to the audience's excitement.

[0045] The game screen 130 in Figure 7 includes a background image 131 containing a character 103 corresponding to the player of the game device 3, and a result display unit 132. The result display unit 132 further includes a reward display unit 133 and a status display unit 134. As shown in an enlarged view in Figure 8, the reward display unit 133 displays the amount of parameter change as a reward obtained in the current battle, along with the details (breakdown) of the calculation. In the example in Figure 7, the value of "Fight Voltage," which is the gauge amount at the end of the battle, is displayed as 120, the contribution value is 30%, and their product is displayed as 36. It is shown that as a result of applying corrections for correction items such as "punishment time bonus," "card effect," and "item effect," the amount of parameter change changed to 138 as "Total." The status display unit 134 displays information such as the current training value, the rarity of the card, the current level, the difference in training value until the next level is reached, and the popularity of the character corresponding to the card, as the status of the card held by the player. The character 103 displayed in the background image 131 is appropriately represented according to the magnitude of the change in the growth value displayed in the reward display section 133, or the level of the status displayed in the status display section 134.

[0046] In addition to the above, the performance control unit 13 adds various effects to the mahjong game at appropriate timings, such as during or immediately before or after a game. For example, when a player calls a tile, a cut-in image 140, as shown in Figure 9, is displayed on the display device 22 so as to be superimposed on a part of the game display unit 101 of the game screen 100 in Figure 3, or so as to replace at least a part of the game display unit 101.

[0047] As described above, by controlling the presentation according to the level of the excitement gauge (110), it is possible to add an entertainment element to the mahjong game that is different from winning or losing in mahjong. For example, a player who uses cards with relatively high development values ​​can contribute relatively significantly to the excitement of the mahjong game even if they lose, and as a result, their own card's development value or the character's popularity can be increased. This provides users with an incentive to play the mahjong game with the goal of increasing the card's development value and the character's popularity, making it possible to create an enjoyment in the mahjong game that is different from winning or losing in mahjong.

[0048] The amount of the excitement gauge 110 is adjusted according to the player's choice of predetermined actions or predetermined changes in the state of their hand, and the gauge amount itself does not affect the outcome of the mahjong game. As will be described later, the activation of skills by character 103 activates at least a part of the assist function, and its activation increases the possibility of forming a winning hand in the player's hand or decreases the possibility of dealing into another player's hand (dealing into their winning hand), which can have a considerable impact on the outcome of the game. However, even if skill activation is set as one of the conditions for changes in the gauge amount, the size of the gauge amount itself does not affect the outcome of the mahjong game in any way. The game control unit 12 only needs to proceed with the game according to the general rules and procedures of mahjong. There is no need for the game control unit 12 to consider the size of the gauge amount, the corresponding changes in the presentation, or even the card's development value or the character's popularity when controlling the game. In other words, the game control unit 12 only needs to control the progress of the game so that mahjong is played in accordance with the general rules and procedures of mahjong as a game or competition. Therefore, while players play the mahjong game in the same way as in general mahjong as a game of chance or competition, they can also enjoy a different kind of enjoyment through the control of the performance control unit 13, distinct from the enjoyment of competing for victory or defeat in mahjong.

[0049] In the example above, an indicator value showing the degree of excitement was used as a gauge amount, and this was presented in the bar gauge section 111a and numerical section 111b of the excitement gauge 110. However, the indicator value does not necessarily have to be set as a gauge amount. The manner in which the indicator value is presented to the player is not limited to the example using the excitement gauge 110. The indicator value only needs to be set as a parameter value that quantitatively represents the degree of excitement in a single game, and its name or common name may be set as appropriate. The manner in which the indicator value is presented may be either the bar gauge section 111a or the numerical section 111b, or alternatively, the display elements such as the color, shape, or pattern of some object displayed on the game screen 100 may be set to change according to the magnitude of the indicator value. Alternatively, the indicator value may be presented to the player by changing a string indicating the degree of excitement according to the change in the indicator value.

[0050] Indicator values ​​such as gauge amounts are increased or decreased in accordance with at least one of the actions of the players and changes in the state of their hands, as described above, but the indicator values ​​may also be changed in relation to other factors. For example, if a user other than the players watches the match using user device 4, the indicator values ​​may be controlled to further reflect the viewing situation, such as the number of viewers and the actions of the user while watching.

[0051] In the example above, the gauge amount, as an example of an indicator value, was presented to the player by the excitement gauge 110, but this presentation is not necessarily required. The indicator value may be held as an internal parameter that is not presented to the player, and changes in the presentation, such as a change in the background image 120, may occur in a manner that the player can recognize.

[0052] Next, the various assist functions provided by the assist control unit 14 will be explained. The control by the assist control unit 14 provides information that may be useful in playing the mahjong game under certain conditions, so that players can enjoy the game even if they are unfamiliar with mahjong and not necessarily well-versed in its rules and procedures. In particular, in mahjong games, a time limit may be set for the act of drawing and discarding tiles, that is, from drawing a tile to discarding a tile. Even if no time limit is set, it may be necessary to complete the drawing and discarding process in a short amount of time in order to keep the mahjong game running smoothly. In such cases, players need to determine which tiles are relatively less necessary from the perspective of building a hand, or estimate dangerous tiles from the opponent's discards, etc., within a limited time. Making such judgments in a short amount of time is difficult for players unfamiliar with mahjong and can be one of the factors that cause them to avoid mahjong games.

[0053] To address the above issues, the assist control unit 14 provides several assist functions to help the player play. Specific examples of these assist functions are described below in the following sections (1) to (4). (1) A function that provides the player with information that can serve as a clue to estimate the state of the opponent's hand. (2) A function to inform the player of the names of Mahjong hands, etc. (3) A function to inform the player about the formation of sets in their hand. (4) Other functions The following explains each function in turn.

[0054] (1) A function that provides information that serves as a clue to estimate the state of the hand. The assist control unit 14 identifies each of the three opponents facing the player, determines each opponent's hand, generates reference information that helps the player estimate the state of each opponent's hand based on the hand identification results, and presents the generated reference information to the player. Figure 3 shows the state in which a hand information image 151 for presenting reference information to the player is displayed in a display area 150 provided separately for each opponent. The display area 150 is set near each opponent's character 103 so that the correspondence with the opponent can be understood. However, the display area 150 may not be distinguished for each opponent, and the hand information image 151 may be displayed appropriately in a common display area so that the opponent can be identified.

[0055] Figure 10 shows an example of a hand information image 151. The hand information image 151 includes a name display unit 152 that identifies the person to whom the hand information image 151 is displayed, for example, by their name, and one or more marks 153 that provide reference information that serves as a clue to estimating the state of the person's hand. In Figure 10, "Player Name" is displayed in the name display unit 152, but in reality, the person's name in the game, nickname, or other name is displayed. The marks 153 are objects for distinguishing and displaying one or more items (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "target items") that should be included in the hand information image 151 as reference information that serves as a clue to estimating the state of the person's hand. When multiple marks 153 are displayed, they are displayed side by side, for example. One mark 153 corresponds to one target item. The target items can be used as clues to estimating the state of the person's hand displayed in the name display unit 152. For example, the items to be considered may include clues that help estimate either the probability of completing at least one mahjong hand with the subject's hand, or at least the score of any hand that is expected to be completed with the subject's hand.

[0056] Clues to estimating the probability of completing a hand may include at least one of the following regarding the player's hand: the number of tiles needed to complete a hand (shanten), whether or not the player is in a ready state (tenpai), and the number of waiting tiles in a ready state. Clues to estimating the score of a hand may include at least one of the following: the number of han (predicted han points) of the hand that is expected to be completed with the player's hand, and the number of dora tiles. In the example in Figure 10, five marks 153 are displayed side by side. The items corresponding to each mark 153, from left to right, are "number of tiles needed to complete a hand," "predicted han points," "dora," "ready state," and "number of waiting tiles."

[0057] Mark 153 for "Shanten count" indicates, for example, that the number of tiles in the player's hand that are needed to complete a winning hand is "1 or less". Mark 153 for "Tenpai" indicates, for example, that the player is not in a tenpai state, for example, that they are "none". Mark 153 for "Waiting tiles" indicates, for example, that the number of tiles the player is waiting for is "2 or less". By presenting this type of information, players can understand how far the player's hand is progressing toward completing a winning hand and estimate the likelihood of completing the hand. Additionally, Mark 153 for "Predicted points" indicates that the points of the hand that the player is expected to complete are "2 or less". Mark 153 for "Dora" indicates, for example, that the number of Dora tiles in the player's hand are "2 or less". By presenting this type of information, players can understand the potential point value of the hands the player may complete. Furthermore, if the number of waiting tiles in a ready hand affects the score of the winning hand (when considering the points), the "number of waiting tiles" information can also function as a clue to estimate the score of the hand.

[0058] The reference information displayed at each mark 153 of the hand information image 151 can be sequentially generated by the assist control unit 14 through the control of the game control unit 12, which is located in the control unit 10, the computer of the game device 3 shown in Figure 2. In other words, the control unit 10 is aware of each player's hand through the control of the game control unit 12. Therefore, the assist control unit 14 can determine each player's hand by monitoring the progress of the game controlled by the game control unit 12, and based on the determination result, generate the reference information to be displayed at each mark 153 of the hand information image 151 at an appropriate timing. When it is necessary to display the hand information image 151, the assist control unit 14 can determine the numerical values ​​and other information to be displayed at each mark 153 according to the reference information at that time, and determine the numerical values ​​and other information to be displayed at the mark 153 according to the determination result. The reference information may be generated when it becomes necessary to display the hand information image 151, or it may be generated and updated at appropriate intervals during a game. Alternatively, reference information may be generated when a change occurs in each player's hand. In other words, the process of generating reference information does not necessarily need to be executed in sync with the display of the hand information image 151. Reference information may be generated at an appropriate time according to the progress of the match, and the hand information image 151 may be displayed based on the latest reference information.

[0059] Players can estimate the state of their opponent's hand by referring to the various marks 153 on the hand information image 151, and based on that estimation, they can consider the tactics and strategies of the game. For example, a player can consider whether to take an aggressive stance prioritizing the completion of high-scoring hands, or to avoid dealing into an opponent's hand (dealing into their winning hand) and win early, or to take a defensive stance and abandon completing a hand. They can consider the tactics and strategies of the game by referring to the reference information presented by the marks 153. Therefore, even players unfamiliar with mahjong can fully enjoy playing the mahjong game. For the opponent whose hand information image 151 is displayed, the information presented to the player that serves as a clue to estimating the state of their own hand becomes a matter to consider in the tactics and strategies of the game. This adds a new element to consider when playing mahjong, making the game more interesting. On the other hand, the hand information image 151 only presents information that serves as a clue to estimating the state of the hand, in other words, information that provides hints for estimating the hand, and does not disclose the player's actual hand to the player. Therefore, there is no risk that the display of the hand information image 151 will excessively reduce the difficulty of the mahjong game and diminish the enjoyment of the game.

[0060] The hand information image 151 is displayed during a game of mahjong, for example, when a character 103's skill is activated. The activation conditions for the skill may be dynamically changed according to the skill level, which is represented by the parameter PM of characters C1 to C4 shown in Figure 5, that is, according to the development level of the card that makes character 103 appear, or according to the popularity of character 103. For example, the higher the skill level, the easier it is to activate the skill. In addition, the number of marks 153 displayed in the hand information image 151, in other words the number of items, may be dynamically changed according to the skill level. For example, the higher the skill level, the more marks 153 are displayed.

[0061] The display of the hand information image 151 does not necessarily require the activation of the character's 103 skills based on player instructions. The display conditions and display methods can be modified as appropriate. For example, the display of the hand information image 151 may be controlled in association with the skill level, such that the frequency and number of displays increase as the skill level increases, regardless of whether or not there are player instructions. In addition to or instead of the activation of skills based on player instructions, the display of the hand information image 151 may be controlled by considering various factors such as the use of items possessed by the player, the status of the match, the presence or absence of a handicap against the player, and the degree of such a handicap, the player's own achievements and abilities in the mahjong game (ranking, player skill, etc.). As for the match status, for example, if the player is losing by a predetermined point difference or more against at least one opponent during a series of matches such as a half-game, the hand information image 151 may be displayed in the next match. During a game, if a player is at a relative disadvantage to a certain extent, for example, if the number of tiles needed to complete a hand is greater than a predetermined number compared to the opponent, the hand information image 151 may be displayed. When considering the player's handicap or track record, the hand information image 151 may be displayed if the player is judged to be relatively weaker than the opponent, and if the player is relatively stronger than the opponent, the hand information image 151 may not be displayed, or certain restrictions may be placed on the number of times it is displayed, the display time, the number of items covered, etc. The hand information image 151 may be displayed at all times during a mahjong game. Alternatively, multiple modes may be set for the mahjong game, and modes in which the hand information image 151 is displayed and modes in which it is not displayed may be selected according to the game situation or player instructions. Some restrictions may be set on the display of the hand information image 151, and the content and degree of the restrictions may be changed according to the mode.

[0062] The hand information image 151 is not necessarily displayed to all three opponents of the player. For example, the hand information image 151 may be displayed only to some of the three opponents, and not to the other opponents. The selection of who should have the hand information image 151 displayed can be done by the player specifying the target, or by selecting the target according to predetermined selection conditions. The selection conditions can be set in association with various elements, similar to the display conditions described above. For example, based on the skill of character 103, opponents corresponding to character 103 with higher or lower skill levels than the player's character 103 may be selected as targets. Opponents judged to be relatively stronger than the player may be selected as targets, and if the player loses to at least one opponent by a predetermined point difference or more throughout a series of matches, that opponent may be selected as a target.

[0063] The number of marks 153 displayed in the hand information image 151, in other words, the number of items to be presented through the hand information image 151, may be controlled to change dynamically. For example, the number of marks 153 may be changed based on instructions from the player. Alternatively, the number of marks 153 may be increased as the skill level of character 103 increases, allowing the player to obtain more information. In this case, it is possible to motivate the user to play the mahjong game in order to increase the training level of character 103 so that more marks 153 are displayed. Furthermore, similar to the display conditions and selection conditions described above, the number of marks 153 may be changed according to the point difference between the player and the opponent. For example, in a situation where the player is losing throughout a series of matches, the number of marks 153 may be increased as the point difference widens. Alternatively, in a situation where the player is winning, the number of marks 153 may be decreased as the point difference widens. In either case, by changing the number of marks 153 according to the point difference, it is possible to create an effect that reduces the point difference between the players.

[0064] The number of Mark 153s may be controlled individually for each opponent. In the example in Figure 3, two Mark 153s are displayed corresponding to the opponent's character 103 in the front and on the right, while one Mark 153 is displayed for the opponent on the left. On the other hand, in the example in Figure 6, one Mark 153 is displayed corresponding to the opponent's character 103 in the front and on the left, while no Mark 153 is displayed for the opponent on the right.

[0065] The items to be displayed on Mark 153 include changes in the state of the hand, such as changes in the progress of forming a winning hand. Therefore, the gauge amount of the excitement gauge 110 may also change in conjunction with the numerical values ​​and state changes displayed on Mark 153. In such cases, the performance control unit 13 may display, in association with character 103, that there has been a change in the state of the hand that causes an increase (or decrease) in the gauge amount of the excitement gauge 110. Figure 6 shows an example of the display when the number of shanten decreases for character 103 on the left, and the gauge amount increases accordingly. In this example, the increase in the gauge amount due to the decrease in the number of shanten is represented by an arrow mark 154 that points to the excitement gauge 110 and is labeled "Puppet + 1". A balloon-shaped object 155 that suggests a change in the state of the hand is also displayed. Object 155 expresses, for example, that the number of tiles needed to complete a hand has progressed to 2 or less, but that it is not easy to reach a winning hand, through the mark 153 indicating that the number of tiles needed to complete a hand is "2 or less," and the line, "I just can't get them all together."

[0066] The hand information image 151 is not limited to a configuration in which the subject is displayed by a mark 153. For example, the subject may be presented as a string of characters. For subject items whose values ​​can change in three or more stages, such as the number of steps to complete a hand, the number of waiting tiles, and the number of dora tiles, the magnitude of the value may be expressed by elements that can represent quantitative values, such as the number of lit lamp-like objects or the gauge amount of a bar gauge. For subject items whose state switches in two stages, such as whether or not a hand is complete, the state may be expressed by elements that can switch the display mode in two stages, such as turning on or off an object like a lamp, or checking or unchecking a checkbox.

[0067] The items to be presented through the hand information image 151 are not limited to the examples described above, but may be set as appropriate as any information that can serve as a clue to estimating the state of the subject's hand. For example, the names of hands that the subject has the potential to complete or has already completed may be selected as one of the items to be presented. If the presence or absence of a ready hand is included as an item to be presented, the names of the hands waiting to be completed may be presented along with the presentation of the ready hand state. Information that serves as a clue to estimating dangerous tiles that the subject may deal into may also be presented as an item to be presented. A dangerous tile is a tile that has the potential to be a winning tile for the target player. Rather than presenting the dangerous tile itself as the target item, information that serves as a clue to infer it, such as whether the dangerous tile is a character tile or a number tile, whether it belongs to the character suit, the bamboo suit, or the character suit, or, if it is a number tile, what is the range of its value (for example, between 1 and 5), can be presented individually or in appropriate combinations as the target item. This allows for assistance to the player without excessively lowering the difficulty of the mahjong game.

[0068] The display of the hand information image 151 may be associated with rewards awarded according to the gauge amount of the excitement gauge 110 and the level of contribution. For example, the two may be associated such that the reward decreases as the number of times or frequency of displaying the hand information image 151 increases. Alternatively, the two may be associated such that the reward decreases as the number of items displayed in the hand information image 151 increases. The increase or decrease in rewards may be achieved, for example, by changing the original reward (amount of parameter change) that should be awarded according to the gauge amount of the excitement gauge 110 and the level of contribution, using a correction amount or correction rate that changes according to the display status of the hand information image 151.

[0069] (2) A function to inform the player of the names of Mahjong hands, etc. The assist control unit 14, during the progress of a game, determines whether an opportunity has arisen to display the name of at least one mahjong hand to the player. If it determines that an opportunity has arisen, it displays the name of the hand to the player, along with its importance in the current game. The hand name and its importance are displayed to the player, for example, on the information display unit 102 of the game screen 100 shown in Figures 3 and 6. Figure 6 shows an example of the state in which the hand name and other information are displayed, and a more detailed view is shown in Figure 11. An example of the information display unit 102 will be described below with reference to Figure 11.

[0070] As shown in Figure 11, the information display unit 102 is provided with a game information unit 160 and a guidance information unit 161. The game information unit 160 is an area that displays various information related to the game in progress. For example, the game information unit 160 in Figure 11 displays "East 3rd Round" as information indicating which round the game is in, the number "40" as information indicating the number of tiles remaining in the game, a stacking stick (grass stick) indicating which round the game is in, and the dora indicator tile "Six of Bamboo". If the dora indicator tile is "Six of Bamboo", the dora tile is the next one, "Seven of Bamboo". Furthermore, the game information unit 160 also displays a character information button 163 which is operated to display information about character 103, and an end button 164 which is operated to end the game.

[0071] The guidance information section 161 is an area for displaying various information to guide the player through the game. In the example in Figure 11, the guidance information section 161 is configured in such a way that the player character 103 expresses various guidance as dialogue or thoughts. For example, at least one balloon-shaped object 165, 166 is displayed above and below the player character 103. The lower object 165 displays a string of characters indicating the options of actions the player can take during the match.

[0072] The upper object 166 is used to display the name of the target hand and its importance. In the example in Figure 11, the words "Complete," "☆1," and "Looks like you can win with Riichi!" are displayed. "Looks like you can win with Riichi!" is the name of the target hand, and "☆1" is an example of the number of han (points) indicating the importance of that hand. "Complete" indicates that the displayed hand is in the completed stage. The strings "Complete" and "Looks like you can win with Riichi!" indicate to the player that their hand is in a state where they have completed a Riichi hand. In addition, the display of "☆1" indicates that the importance of the target hand is at the 1-han stage. Note that if the target hand is one whose number of han changes depending on whether or not a call is made during the game, such as "Sanshoku Doujun" or "Ikkitsuukan," the value of the number of han attached to the hand name will change according to whether or not a call was made.

[0073] The target hands for which the name of the hand should be displayed in the information display unit 161 are not necessarily limited to hands that have been completed or are expected to be completed in the player's hand. For example, the information display unit 161 may display the name of a hand that has been completed or is expected to be completed in the hand of at least one of the three opponents. For example, if the target items of the hand information image 151 in Figure 10 are to display the name of a hand that has been completed or is expected to be completed in the hand of at least one of the opponents, the information display unit 161 may also display the name of the hand shown in the hand information image 151 and its importance in conjunction with that. Note that the target person for which reference information is displayed in the hand information image 151 is at least one of the three opponents of the player. On the other hand, the target person for which the name of the hand should be displayed in the information display unit 161 also includes the player. In other words, at least one of the four players may be the target person. In any case, similar to the case where reference information is presented via the hand information image 151 described above, the assist control unit 14 can sequentially grasp the state of each player's hand through the control of the game control unit 12 of the control unit 10. Therefore, by monitoring the progress of the game controlled by the game control unit 12, the assist control unit 14 can identify the target player's hand, and based on the identification result, it can identify the hands that have been completed or are expected to be completed with the target player's hand and display them on the guidance information unit 161.

[0074] The timing for displaying the name of a winning hand in the information display unit 161 is as follows: any appropriate opportunity during a game may be set as the opportunity for displaying the name of a winning hand. For example, the opportunity for displaying the name of a winning hand may be determined to have arrived when the target winning hand to be displayed in the information display unit 161 is completed, or when a predetermined stage before completion is reached. The predetermined stage may be, for example, the stage when the winning hand is completed by adding a tile to the hand without discarding one of the player's own tiles, or the stage when the hand has progressed to a state where it is one step away from completing the target winning hand or an earlier number of steps away from completion. Alternatively, the player may be able to indicate when the opportunity for displaying the name of a winning hand should occur, or the opportunity for displaying the name of a winning hand may be set regardless of the state of the hand, such as when the number of remaining tiles in the deck has decreased to a predetermined number or less. In that case, the target hand may be any hand that has been completed in the hand of the target player (or other opponent) at the time the opportunity to display the hand name arises, or any hand that is within a certain number of steps to completion, and its name and importance may be displayed on the information display unit 161. Furthermore, if a game ends with either player winning, the end of the game may be designated as the opportunity to display the hand name, and the winning hand may be designated as the target hand, and its name and importance may be displayed on the information display unit 161.

[0075] Furthermore, the target hands are not limited to hands that are completed or expected to be completed in the player's hand. For example, if a player wants to check a mahjong hand, the system may recognize the player's instruction as an opportunity to display the hand name, and in response to that instruction, various hands and their importance may be displayed on the information unit 161, for example, in a list format or in a format selected according to the player's instruction. In this case, the player can check various mahjong hands at any time, regardless of the state of their hand. Therefore, the display of hand names etc. on the information unit 161 can be used by the player in a manner similar to a so-called help function in a mahjong game.

[0076] The importance of a target hand is not limited to being indicated to the player by the number of points it is worth. The name of the target hand can be changed as appropriate, as long as it is presented to the player in a way that allows them to determine the importance of the target hand in a game. For example, when the name of the target hand is displayed on the game screen 100 that the player sees, the display method of the name of the target hand can be set to be different according to its importance, so that the player can grasp its importance. The display method can be differentiated by changing at least one of the display color, pattern, and font of the name of the hand. An example of this is shown in Figure 12.

[0077] In the example in Figure 12, the target hands are four types of hands: "Chin'iisou," "Hon'iisou," "Ryanbekou," and "Chiitoitsu," each displayed with a number indicating its respective value of "Han" (points): "☆6," "☆3," or "☆2." In addition to the display of these Han values, the importance of each target hand is distinguished by differentiating the display style of the hand name according to the Han value, as indicated by the hatching. The hatching in Figure 12 is used to distinguish the similarities and differences in display styles; in practice, the display color of each target hand, the background color and pattern of the object 166 showing the target hand may be differentiated according to the Han value. The font of the string of the hand name may also be differentiated according to the Han value. Font differentiation may be achieved by at least one of the font type and size. The player may be able to specify the display style of the hand name according to its importance. In Figure 12, there is a difference between the objects 166 in that some are marked with the words or symbols "Complete" or "↓", while others are not marked with either. "Complete" indicates that the target hand is completed in the hand, as described above. "↓" indicates that the target hand is not yet completed, but has reached a certain stage towards completion, such as one step away from completion or two steps away from completion. For target hands that are not marked with either, they are displayed as, for example, hands that are expected to have a reasonable probability of being completed in the hand.

[0078] The importance of a target hand, as presented through the information section 161, etc., does not necessarily need to be categorized by the number of points (han) of the hand. Importance is not limited to absolute importance, such as the number of points (han), which is objectively determined by the rules of Mahjong; relative importance that changes depending on the situation of the game may also be considered. In other words, the importance of a hand may change relatively during each game or throughout a series of games. For example, in a situation where one player is likely to win with a relatively high-scoring hand, other players may think it is more advantageous to complete the hand first and win early, regardless of the number of points (han) of the hand. In such a case, the importance of a hand may be evaluated according to the likelihood of completion, with hands that have a relatively higher probability of completion being valued more highly than hands that have a lower probability of completion. Similarly, when a series of games (for example, a group of games included in a half-game) is nearing its end and a player is relatively winning, it is also advantageous for that player to win early, so the importance may be distinguished according to the likelihood of completion in the same way. Conversely, if a player is losing towards the end of a series of games, a hand with the number of points required to reverse the situation may be valued more highly than a hand with the number of points required to reverse the situation. Furthermore, a hand with the number of points required to reverse the situation and a relatively high probability of completion may be valued as the most important hand. The importance of a hand may be evaluated by considering multiple perspectives, such as the number of points and the probability of completion. Even when distinguishing importance based on the points awarded for winning, if, for example, the fu (points) are taken into account when calculating the final score, the importance may also be distinguished by taking into account the factors considered in the calculation of that score.

[0079] As described above, by selecting at least some Mahjong hands and presenting their names to players in a way that allows them to determine their importance in a game, even players unfamiliar with Mahjong hands can grasp the hands and their importance during the game, enabling them to make more accurate decisions regarding discard choices and other actions within a limited time. Furthermore, by displaying the hand names in different ways according to their importance, players can intuitively grasp the importance of each hand, thus more effectively utilizing the display of hand names and their importance.

[0080] (3) A function to inform the player about the formation of sets in their hand. When at least one of the following states occurs in the player's hand: a state in which at least one set of tiles necessary to complete a mahjong hand can be formed, or a state in which at least one set of tiles has been formed, the assist control unit 14 displays the tile that formed the set that caused the specific state (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "target tile") in a manner that distinguishes it from the other tiles in the player's hand. The sets to be displayed include sequences, triplets, and quads.

[0081] "A state in which a meld can be formed" refers to a state in which a meld can be formed by combining a tile obtained through drawing with a tile already in the hand. In a single draw, the hand is not determined until one tile is discarded to finalize it, and a meld is not formed after discarding the drawn tile. This stage is "a state in which a meld can be formed." If the player is the dealer, even if there is a combination of tiles that can form a meld at the time of the initial deal, it is not determined whether a meld has been formed until one tile is discarded to finalize a hand of 13 tiles. This case may also be included as one form of "a state in which a meld can be formed." On the other hand, "a state in which a meld has been formed" refers to a state in which a meld has been formed within a hand of 13 tiles after discarding one tile from a state in which there are 14 tiles in hand after drawing or the initial dealt.

[0082] Figures 13-15 show examples of how the target tiles are displayed when a state is reached where a meld can be formed. Each of Figures 13-15 shows a magnified view of some of the tiles in the hand 105 and the player's drawn tile 106 from Figure 3. Figure 13 is an example where a sequence can be formed by the "four of bamboo" and "six of bamboo" in the hand 105 and the "five of bamboo" in the player's drawn tile 106. In this case, the target tiles of the sequence, the "four of bamboo" and "six of bamboo" in the hand 105, are each surrounded by a border line 170, and the "five of bamboo" in the player's drawn tile 106 is marked with a predetermined mark 171, so that these tiles are shown in a manner that distinguishes them from other tiles. Figure 14 is an example where a triplet can be formed by the two "one of characters" in the hand 105 and the "one of characters" in the player's drawn tile 106. In this case, the two "1 Man" tiles in the hand 105, which are the tiles for the triplet, are each enclosed by a border 170, and the "1 Man" tile drawn by the player 106 is marked with a mark 171, thereby distinguishing these tiles from the other tiles. Furthermore, if a situation arises where a quad can be formed, the target tiles may also be displayed in a manner that distinguishes them from the other tiles, similar to Figures 13 and 14.

[0083] Figure 15 shows an example of a display when multiple sets of tiles can be formed, particularly when some of the target tiles are common among the multiple sets of tiles. In this example, one sequence can be formed using the "1 Man" and "2 Man" in hand 105 and the "3 Man" drawn tile 106, and another sequence can be formed using the "2 Man" and "4 Man" in hand 105 and the "3 Man" drawn tile 106. The "2 Man" in hand 105 and the "3 Man" drawn tile 106 are target tiles common among the multiple sets of tiles. In this case, the target tiles that form the sequences are displayed in order for each set. Specifically, as shown in the upper part of the figure, first, the "1 Man" and "2 Man" tiles in the hand 105, which are the tiles for one sequence, are each enclosed in a border 170, and a mark 171 is placed on the "3 Man" tile in the player's own drawn tile 106, thereby distinguishing these tiles from the other tiles. After this display state is maintained for a suitable amount of time, as shown in the lower part of the figure, the "2 Man" and "4 Man" tiles in the hand 105, which are the tiles for another sequence, are each enclosed in a border 170, and a mark 171 is placed on the "3 Man" tile in the player's own drawn tile 106, thereby distinguishing these tiles from the other tiles. By displaying the target tiles sequentially for each set in this way, the target tiles that form each set of tiles can be displayed in a manner that distinguishes them from the other tiles, and the sets of tiles can be displayed in a manner that distinguishes them from each other. However, the target tiles for each set may be displayed simultaneously in different ways for each set of tiles, for example, the display color, line type, and thickness of the border 170 may differ for each set.

[0084] The examples in Figures 13 to 15 correspond to states where it is possible to form melds. Therefore, when a player discards one tile during a draw or initial deal to finalize their hand of 13 tiles, the "state where formation is possible" is eliminated, and the state of the hand changes to either a state where melds are formed or a state where no melds are formed. Consequently, the display of the target tile in the state where meld formation is possible should be done for at least a portion of the time when an opportunity arises to discard one tile. In other words, the start time is when 14 tiles are lined up after a draw or initial dealt, and the end time is when one tile is discarded. The target tile must be displayed for at least a portion of the time between these start and end times.

[0085] Figures 16-18 show examples of how tiles are displayed when a set is formed. Figure 16 shows an example where a sequence is formed with "6 of bamboo," "7 of bamboo," and "8 of bamboo" in the hand 105. In this case, the three tiles forming the sequence are enclosed in a border 170 to distinguish them from the other tiles. In addition, text information 172 containing a string indicating the name of the set, such as "Sequence Formed," may also be displayed to indicate that a sequence has been formed. Figure 17 shows an example where a triplet is formed with three "1 of bamboo" in the hand 105. In this case, the three tiles forming the triplet are enclosed in a border 170 to distinguish them from the other tiles. In addition, text information 172 containing a string indicating the name of the set, such as "Triple Formed," may also be displayed to indicate that a triplet has been formed. Figure 18 shows an example of how a quad is formed with four "1 of characters." In this case as well, the four tiles forming the kan are enclosed by a border 170, distinguishing them from the other tiles (not shown). In addition, to indicate that a kan has been formed, text information 172 including a string of characters indicating the name of the set, such as "kan formed," may also be displayed.

[0086] Figure 19 shows an example of how to display a state where multiple sets have been formed. In this example, one sequence is formed by the "1 Man", "2 Man", and "3 Man" tiles in the hand 105, and another sequence is formed by the "2 Man", "3 Man", and "4 Man" tiles in the hand 105. In this case as well, the tiles that form the sequences may be shown sequentially for each set. That is, as shown in the upper part of the figure, first the tiles that form one sequence, the "1 Man", "2 Man", and "3 Man" tiles in the hand 105, are each enclosed in a frame 170, so that these tiles are shown in a manner that distinguishes them from the other tiles. After this display state is maintained for a suitable amount of time, as shown in the lower part of the figure, the tiles that form the other sequence, the "2 Man", "3 Man", and "4 Man" tiles in the hand 105, are each enclosed in a frame 170, so that these tiles are shown in a manner that distinguishes them from the other tiles.

[0087] Figure 20, like Figure 19, shows another example of how multiple sets of tiles are formed, with some of the target tiles being common to all of them. "2 Man" and "3 Man" are common to all of the sets. In Figure 19, the target tiles forming the sets are shown sequentially for each set, but in the example in Figure 20, the target tiles "1 Man," "2 Man," and "3 Man" that form one sequence are enclosed by a first frame line 170A, and the target tiles "2 Man," "3 Man," and "4 Man" that form another sequence are enclosed by a second frame line 170B, which has a different display manner from the first frame line 170A. This distinguishes these target tiles from other tiles and also distinguishes the sets of sequences from each other. The display manner of frame lines 170A and 170B may be distinguished by various elements such as display color, line type, and thickness. Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 20, text information 172 containing a string indicating the name of the sequence, such as "Shuntsu formation," may also be displayed to indicate that a sequence has been formed.

[0088] Even when multiple sets of different types of tiles are formed, the target tiles for each set may be displayed sequentially as in Figure 19, or simultaneously as in Figure 20. For example, in Figure 21, three "1-man" tiles form a triplet, and three "1-man", "2-man", and "3-man" tiles form a sequence. The "1-man" is a common target tile among the multiple sets of tiles. In this case, the target tiles forming the triplet may be shown with a first frame line 170A, and the target tiles forming the sequence may be shown with a second frame line 170B, which has a different display mode from the first frame line 170A, thereby distinguishing these target tiles from other tiles and displaying them in a way that is distinct for each set of tiles. The first frame line 170A and the second frame line 170B may be displayed sequentially. The display modes of frame lines 170A and 170B can be distinguished as appropriate, similar to the example in Figure 20. In addition, in the example shown in Figure 21, text information 172A and 172B, which include strings indicating the names of the players, such as "Coats formation" and "Shuntsu formation," may also be displayed.

[0089] The examples in Figures 16 to 21 correspond to the state in which a set of tiles has been formed. This state begins when the player discards one tile to finalize their hand of 13 tiles, and ends when the state of the hand can change due to drawing or calling tiles. This state occurs continuously from the beginning to the end. Therefore, the display in Figures 16 to 21 only needs to be shown for at least a portion of this period. For example, the display may start from the beginning and end before the end and after a certain amount of time has elapsed since the start of the display. The display may be dismissed or toggled on and off according to the player's instructions.

[0090] The assist control unit 14 monitors the progress of the game controlled by the game control unit 12, similar to the processing of displaying the hand information image 151 in Figure 10. It then identifies the player's hand at the time of drawing and discarding tiles. Based on this identification, it determines whether a state has arisen in the player's hand where a set can be formed or where a set has already been formed. If such a state has arisen, the assist control unit 14 can display the tiles that form the set, distinguishing them from the other tiles as described above.

[0091] As described above, by displaying the tiles that form a set in the player's hand separately from other tiles, the player can quickly, easily, and reliably grasp the sets that can be formed by the player's own drawn tiles, or the sets that have already been formed in their hand. This reduces or eliminates the risk of the player making incorrect judgments regarding the formation of sets, or making incorrect choices such as discarding tiles that should not be discarded from the perspective of forming a set. When there are time constraints on drawing and discarding, there is a risk of making incorrect judgments or making incorrect choices due to the haste caused by these constraints, but a considerable effect can be expected in reducing or eliminating such risks. The display of the tiles that form a set may be performed when at least one of the following states occurs: the state in which a set can be formed, or the state in which a set has been formed.

[0092] In the examples in Figures 13 to 21, borders 170, 170A, 170B, marks 171, and text information 172, 172A, 172B were used to distinguish the tiles forming a set from other tiles. However, the methods for distinguishing and displaying the target tiles from other tiles are not limited to these examples. For example, the target tiles may be distinguished and displayed from other tiles using various visual elements such as display color, pattern, and size.

[0093] (4) Other functions In addition to the above, the assist control unit 14 monitors the game status controlled by the game control unit 12 and provides various assist functions to the player by displaying various images to assist the player. Several examples will be explained below with reference to the images in Figures 22 to 31.

[0094] Figure 22 shows an example of a calling guidance image 180 that is displayed when an opportunity arises for a player to call a tile discarded by their opponent. The calling guidance image 180 includes a first object 181 and a second object 182, which are displayed overlapping a part of the game display unit 101, for example, from the character 103 of the information display unit 102 shown in Figure 3. The first object 181 functions as an operation unit that is touched when the player selects to call a tile (in the illustrated example, "Chi" to form a sequence). The second object 182 functions as an operation unit that is touched when the player does not select to call a tile and waits for the next draw. The first object 181 is accompanied by the text "You will no longer be able to declare Riichi, Menzen Tsumo, etc." which informs the player of the disadvantages that will occur if they select to call a tile, such as certain restrictions on the player's selection and the formation of hands after calling a tile.

[0095] Figure 23 is an example of a self-drawn discard image 183 used to inform a player when they choose to discard a tile they have drawn directly onto the table. The self-drawn discard image 183 is displayed alongside the discarded tile and, as an example, includes the text "Tsumo-giri" (self-drawn discard). Figure 24 is an example of a dora tile image 184 used to inform a player when a dora tile is included in their hand. The dora tile image 184 is displayed overlaid on the dora tile and, as an example, includes the text "Dora". The display of the dora tile image 184 allows the player to reliably identify the dora tile.

[0096] Figure 25 shows examples of recommendation images 185A and 185B (sometimes represented by reference numeral 185) used to present players with recommended tiles that may be advantageous to completing a winning hand when discarded, and non-recommended tiles that may be disadvantageous to completing a winning hand. Here, recommended tiles are those that decrease the number of tiles needed to complete a hand when discarded, and non-recommended tiles are those that increase the number of tiles needed to complete a hand when discarded. In Figure 25, an example is shown where discarding the "Four of Bamboo" on the right decreases the number of tiles needed to complete a hand, bringing the hand closer to completing a winning hand, while discarding the "Four of Pin" on the left increases the number of tiles needed to complete a hand, moving the hand further away from completing a winning hand. Therefore, the "Four of Bamboo" tile on the right is an example of a recommended tile, and a recommendation indicator image 185A, which includes the text "Getting closer to winning" and an upward-pointing arrow, is overlaid on that tile. On the other hand, the "Four of Pin" tile on the left is an example of a non-recommended tile, and a recommendation indicator image 185B, which includes the text "Moving further away from winning" and a downward-pointing arrow, is overlaid on that tile. The player can refer to the recommendation indicator image 185 and select tiles to discard that are advantageous for completing a winning hand.

[0097] The recommendation image 185 presents the player with tiles that are advantageous or disadvantageous to discard from their hand in order to complete a winning hand, providing hints for their discard choices. Therefore, the recommendation image 185 must be displayed at least when the player has drawn a tile or has 14 tiles from their initial deal, and has not yet selected a discard. In the example above, recommended and unrecommended tiles were distinguished in relation to the decrease or increase in the number of tiles needed to complete a hand, but whether a tile is advantageous or disadvantageous to completing a hand can also change depending on the tile drawn after reaching a ready hand state, for example. For example, if a player can increase the number of tiles they are waiting for by discarding a tile already in their hand instead of drawing a tile, while maintaining a ready hand state, or if they can maintain a ready hand state even after drawing a dora tile and discarding another tile in its place, the tile drawn can be considered a non-recommended tile, and the tile that can be discarded in its place while maintaining a ready hand state can be considered a recommended tile. In such cases, the recommended and non-recommended tiles may also be presented to the player following the recommendation level presentation image 185.

[0098] Figure 26 is an example of a yakuhai image 186 used to present a yakuhai to a player when their hand contains a yakuhai, that is, a tile capable of forming a yaku of at least one han. The yakuhai image 186 may be constructed by displaying the yakuhai in the hand, such as a dora tile or an honor tile, in a manner that makes it distinguishable from other tiles. For example, an image in which the yakuhai is highlighted using visual elements such as its display color and pattern may be displayed as the yakuhai image 186. In the example of Figure 26, the dora tile and the "East" honor tile are highlighted as yakuhai images 186, as indicated by hatching. In addition, the yakuhai image 186 in Figure 26 also includes the text "Yakuhai Chance!" indicating the possibility of forming a yaku with the yakuhai. The content of the text can be as appropriate. Regarding the Dora tiles, they may be combined with the Dora tile image 184 in Figure 24.

[0099] Figure 27 shows an example of a shanten image 187 displayed to show the player the number of tiles needed to complete a hand. In the example in Figure 27, the string "1 tile away from tenpai" is included in the shanten image 187, indicating to the player that they are one tile away from a winning hand. The shanten image 187 may be displayed at an appropriate time. For example, it may be displayed continuously during a game after the number of tiles needed to complete a hand has decreased to a predetermined number or less, or it may be displayed for a limited time when the number of tiles needed to complete a hand changes. The shanten image 187 may also be displayed adjacent to the hand 105, as shown in Figure 3. When the recommendation display image 185, as exemplified in Figure 25, is displayed, the shanten image 187 may be displayed next to the tile that is indicated as "approaching a win." In that case, the recommendation display image 185 allows the player to intuitively understand that selecting the tile indicated as "approaching a winning hand" as a discard tile will reduce the number of tiles needed to complete a hand by one.

[0100] Figure 28 shows an example of a required tile display image 188, which is displayed to show the player the tiles needed to reach a winning hand (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "required tiles") when the player's hand is one step away from a winning hand. In the required tile display image 188 of Figure 28, a string of characters indicating that a winning hand is reached when "1 Man", "4 Man", or "8 Man" is added to the hand is displayed, along with the string of characters "3 types, 10 tiles" indicating the remaining number of each required tile, the number of types of required tiles, and the total number of remaining tiles. For example, the required tile display image 188 may be displayed in the area between the player's hand 105 and the discarded tiles 107 in Figure 3. The remaining number of tiles is the total number of required tiles (4) minus the number of tiles already on the table as discards. The required tile display image 188 may be displayed at an appropriate time after the player has reached one step away from a winning hand. For example, the required tile suggestion image 188 may be displayed after reaching a one-shanten hand and before the next draw. The display of the required tile suggestion image 188 allows the player to easily and reliably understand which tile to draw next to reach a tenpai hand.

[0101] Figure 29 shows an example of a dealer confirmation image 189 displayed to inform the player that they are the dealer (East player) and that the points they receive when they win a game will be multiplied by 1.5. If the player is unfamiliar with mahjong, they may not necessarily be aware that they are the dealer or that their points will be multiplied. In such cases, displaying the dealer confirmation image 189 can improve the player's understanding. The display position of the dealer confirmation image 189 may be, for example, on the information display unit 102, or it may be set to an appropriate position such as near the hand tiles 105 or discarded tiles 107 on the game display unit 101. The timing of displaying the dealer confirmation image 189 may be set, for example, at the start of a game when it is the player's turn as dealer, or at an appropriate time during the game.

[0102] Figure 30 shows an example of a discard tile display image 190 that is displayed to show the player which tile to discard in order to reach a ready hand (tenpai) when the player's hand 105 is acquired by acquiring a self-drawn tile 106 and discarding one tile in its place. In Figure 30, a state is illustrated in which the player acquires a self-drawn tile 106 of "Four of Bamboo" and will reach a ready hand by discarding one of the two "Five of Pin" tiles and the two "Seven of Pin" tiles. In this case, a discard tile display image 190 containing the text "Discard to reach ready hand" is displayed over each of the "Five of Pin" and the two "Seven of Pin" tiles that will lead to a ready hand. This allows the player to easily and reliably understand which tile to discard in order to reach a ready hand. Furthermore, the tiles on which the discarded tile display image 190 is shown are all recommended tiles as explained in Figure 25, that is, tiles that can be advantageous for completing a winning hand. Therefore, the recommendation level display image 185A may be overlaid on these tiles.

[0103] Figure 31 shows an example of a Dora information image 191 that is displayed when either player selects a Kan and the number of Dora tiles increases. The Dora information image 191 includes a player information section 191a that indicates whether the number of Dora tiles in the player's hand has increased, and an opponent information section 191b that indicates whether the number of Dora tiles in either opponent's hand has increased. In the illustrated example, the player information section 191a displays the string "Dora did not increase..." indicating that the number of Dora tiles in the player's hand did not increase, and the opponent display section 191b displays the string "Dora increased!!" indicating that the number of Dora tiles in either opponent's hand has increased. By displaying the Dora information image 191, the player can obtain clues to infer how the increase in the number of Dora tile types due to the Kan has affected the situation of the game. The Dora information image 191 may be displayed, for example, at an appropriate position on the game display section 101 of the game screen 100. Although not shown in Figure 31, the information display unit 102 (Figure 3) may also display the information image 191.

[0104] Next, with reference to Figures 32 to 37, an example of the procedure for processing performed by the control unit 10 of the game device 3 to provide the various functions described above will be explained. In the following explanation, the processing in each figure will be described as processing performed by the control unit 10 of one game device 3. When a common mahjong game is played among multiple game devices 3, those game devices 3 may share data and each perform the processing in each figure, or one game device 3 configured as the host may perform the processing in each figure, and the other game devices 3 may obtain the processing results.

[0105] Figure 32 shows an example of the procedure for performance control processing by the performance control unit 13 of the control unit 10 to control the performance of the mahjong game based on the gauge amount of the excitement gauge 110. The processing in Figure 32 is a process that is repeatedly executed at predetermined intervals from the start of a game until the end of the game. When the performance control unit 13 starts the performance control processing, it first refers to the status data Ds to determine the status of the game in progress (step S101). Next, the performance control unit 13 determines whether or not an event that affects the gauge amount of the excitement gauge 110 has occurred between the time of the previous processing and the time of the current processing (step S102). As described above, an event occurs due to a predetermined action by the players (either the player or the opponent) or a predetermined change in the state of the players' hands. For example, an event may be determined to have occurred if the players perform an action such as calling a tile or activating a skill to display the hand information image 151, or if there is a change in the state of either player's hand, such as a change in the number of tiles needed to complete a hand, whether or not they are in a ready hand, the number of waiting tiles, the number of dora tiles, or the predicted number of han. If it is determined that no event has occurred, the performance control unit 13 terminates the performance control process.

[0106] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S102 that an event has occurred, the performance control unit 13 updates the gauge amount of the excitement gauge 110 held in the status data Ds according to the event that occurred (step S103). The update may be performed by increasing the gauge by a fixed amount regardless of the details of the event (type, content, etc.) for each event that occurs, or the amount of change in the gauge may be differentiated according to the details of the event. The update may be performed as a one-way change that increases the gauge amount, or as a two-way change that increases or decreases the gauge amount according to the details of the event. For example, a process may be applied in which the gauge amount decreases when the state of the hand changes from a ready state to a state where it has been resolved.

[0107] Following the update of the gauge amount, the performance control unit 13 calculates the contribution of each player corresponding to the gauge amount updated in step S103, and updates the contribution of each player held in the status data Ds according to the calculation result (step S104). Subsequently, the performance control unit 13 generates a performance corresponding to the gauge amount update in S103 (step S105). This performance is a performance corresponding to the event determined to have occurred in step S102, and includes updating the display of the excitement gauge 110. For example, if the gauge amount is updated in response to a call, the cut-in image 140 in Figure 9 is displayed, and thereafter, the display of the gauge body 111 and the contribution display unit 112 of the excitement gauge 110 is updated based on the gauge amount updated in step S103 and the contribution updated in step S104. The arrow mark 154 in Figure 6 may be displayed to indicate which player updated the gauge amount. Furthermore, if the gauge amount is updated in response to a change in the state of the hand, the change in the state of the hand may be indicated via object 155 in Figure 6. Object 155 may be executed by the performance control unit 13 by referring to reference information generated by the assist control unit 14, or it may be realized by the performance control unit 13 instructing the assist control unit 14 to display object 155 according to the reference information.

[0108] Furthermore, the performance control unit 13 determines whether the stage of the gauge amount (the division in the bar gauge section 111a in Figure 4) has changed based on the update of the gauge amount in step S103 (step S106). If it is determined that the stage has changed, the background image 120 of the game screen 100 is changed to an image corresponding to the changed stage, thereby generating a performance corresponding to the change in the gauge amount stage (step S107). For example, the background image 120 in Figure 3 is changed to the background image 120 in Figure 6. As a result, a performance corresponding to the gauge amount is generated on the game screen 100. After completing the process in step S107, the performance control unit 13 finishes the performance control process for this time. If it is determined in step S106 that the stage has not changed, the performance control unit 13 skips step S107 and finishes the performance control process for this time. Note that although the process in Figure 32 is shown as being repeatedly executed by the performance control unit 13 at a fixed period, the process in step S102 may be executed by the match control unit 12, and the performance control unit 13 may execute the processes from step S103 onwards triggered by the occurrence of an event.

[0109] Figure 33 shows an example of the reward control process that the performance control unit 13 executes in response to the end of a match. The process in Figure 33 is performed to generate a reward based on the gauge amount and contribution at the end of the match. When the match ends, the performance control unit 13 starts the process in Figure 33, first referring to the status data Ds to sequentially obtain the gauge amount of the excitement gauge 110 and the contribution of each player at the end of the match (steps S121, S122). Then, the performance control unit 13 calculates the reward based on the obtained gauge amount and the contribution of each player, specifically the change in the training level parameter of the character card corresponding to each player, in other words, the change in the training level or popularity of character 103 (step S123). Note that if the process in Figure 33 is performed on each of the multiple game devices 3 on which the same Mahjong game is played, the calculation in step S123 may be performed only on the character 103 corresponding to the player on the player's machine.

[0110] Once the amount of change in the parameters is calculated, the performance control unit 13 updates the value of the training level parameter held in the status data Ds according to the calculation result of step S123 (step S124). Subsequently, the performance control unit 13 displays the game screen 130 in Figure 7 with the calculation result of step S123 reflected, thereby presenting to the player the rewards acquired by the player in the current match and their breakdown (step S125). After that, the performance control unit 13 completes the reward control processing in Figure 33. Note that in the calculation of step S123, the amount of change in the parameters may be calculated while reflecting the frequency and number of activations of the skill for displaying the hand information image 151.

[0111] Figure 34 shows an example of the procedure for the reference information presentation process executed by the assist control unit 14 to present reference information to the player via the hand information image 151 (Figure 10). The process in Figure 34 is executed repeatedly at predetermined intervals from the start of a match until the end of that match. When the assist control unit 14 starts the reference information presentation process, it first refers to the status data Ds to determine the state of each player's hand (step S141), generates reference information corresponding to each player based on the determination result, and records this in the assist data Ds. Next, the assist control unit 14 determines whether the presentation conditions for the reference information have been met between the previous process and the current process (step S143). In this embodiment, the presentation conditions are synonymous with the display conditions for the hand information image 151, and are met, for example, when the player instructs the activation of a skill related to their character 103. As described above, the display conditions for the hand information image 151 may be set as appropriate. If the hand information image 151 is to be displayed at all times during a game, step S143 may be omitted, or step S143 may always be judged as positive.

[0112] If the presentation conditions are met, the assist control unit 14 determines the items to be displayed in the hand information image 151 (step S144). For example, if the number of marks 153 is to be increased or decreased depending on the skill level of character 103, the size of the point difference with the opponent, etc., the number of marks 153 to be displayed in the hand information image 151 and the items to be displayed in each mark 153 may be determined by considering these factors. The determination of the items to be displayed may be performed separately for each opponent. After the items to be displayed have been determined, the assist control unit 14 displays the hand information image 151 in association with each opponent so that information regarding the items to be displayed in the hand information image 151 is presented in the marks 153, based on the reference information generated in step S141 (step S145). After that, the assist control unit 14 completes the reference information presentation process shown in Figure 34. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S143 that the presentation conditions are not met, the assist control unit 14 hides the hand information image 151 (step S146), and then finishes the reference information presentation process shown in Figure 34.

[0113] In the process shown in Figure 34, the success or failure of the presentation conditions may be determined for each opponent in step S143. For example, the presentation conditions may be considered fulfilled only for opponents against whom the player has instructed the display of the hand information image 151, while the conditions may be considered unfulfilled for all other opponents. In this case, the hand information image 151, including the mark 153, will be displayed only for opponents against whom the presentation conditions have been fulfilled. If the presentation conditions are unfulfilled, it is sufficient to hide at least the mark 153, and the display of the name display unit 152 may be maintained. Even in this case, the hand information image 151 will not display the mark 153 for any of the target items, and no reference information will be presented to the player. In the process shown in Figure 34, reference information is repeatedly generated in step S142, and the process proceeds to display the hand information image 151 in step S143 if the presentation conditions are met. However, the process in step S143 may be performed first, and if this is judged positively, the processes in steps S141 and S142 may be executed, and then the process may proceed to step S144.

[0114] Figure 35 shows an example of the procedure for the hand name presentation process executed by the assist control unit 14 to present the names of mahjong hands and their importance to the player via the information display unit 102 provided on the game screen 100. The process in Figure 35 is executed repeatedly at predetermined intervals from the start of a game until the end of the game. When the assist control unit 14 starts the hand name presentation process, it first refers to the status data Ds to determine the status of the game (step S161). In this case, at least the status of the game currently being played is determined. When determining relative importance by considering the point difference in a series of games such as a half-game, the status of games that have already ended may also be determined in step S161 in addition to the game currently being played. Next, the assist control unit 14 determines whether or not an opportunity to present the hand names has arrived (step S162). As described above, the opportunity to display the name of the hand may be determined to have arrived, for example, when the player completes the target hand to be displayed in the guidance information unit 161, or when a predetermined stage before completion is reached, or when the player instructs the display of the name of the hand, etc. The completion of the target hand, or reaching a predetermined stage before completion, can be determined by determining the state of the player's hand as part of the game situation determined in step S161.

[0115] Next, the assist control unit 14 determines which hand should have its name displayed during this opportunity to display the hand name (step S163). For example, if the opportunity to display the hand name arises because a specific hand is completed, or the hand has progressed to a predetermined stage toward the completion of that hand, that specific hand may be determined to be the target hand. If the hand name is to be displayed at the player's instruction, the player may be asked to indicate the target hand, and the target hand may be determined according to that instruction. Multiple hands may be determined to be the target hand. Furthermore, in step S163, the assist control unit 14 determines the importance of the target hand (step S164). As mentioned above, importance may be considered not only as an absolute importance objectively determined according to the rules of mahjong, such as the number of points a hand is worth, but also as a relative importance that changes depending on the situation of the game. Therefore, in step S164, the absolute importance may be determined according to objective guidelines such as the number of points a hand is worth, or the relative importance may be determined based on the situation of the game determined in step S161.

[0116] After the target hand and its importance are determined, the assist control unit 14 determines the display manner of the hand name, etc., according to its importance (step S165). For example, in the object 166 illustrated in Figures 11 and 12, the display manner, such as the number of points to be displayed, the display color of the hand name, the font, and the background of the object 166, may be determined to be a unique manner according to its importance. Subsequently, the assist control unit 14 displays the object 166, which represents the hand name and importance of the target hand in the display manner determined in step S165, on the guidance information unit 161 of the information display unit 102, thereby presenting the hand name and its importance to the player (step S166). Once the presentation of the hand name, etc., is complete, the assist control unit 14 finishes the hand name display process shown in Figure 35.

[0117] Figure 36 shows an example of the procedure for displaying melds that the assist control unit 14 executes to display the tiles when a state is reached in the player's hand where a meld can be formed, or when a meld has been formed. The process in Figure 36 is executed repeatedly at predetermined intervals from the start of a game until the end of the game. When the assist control unit 14 starts the meld display process, it first refers to the status data Ds to determine the status of the game in progress (step S201). In this case, it is sufficient to determine at least the state of the player's hand and which player has the opportunity to play a tile, that is, the opportunity to discard a tile. Next, the assist control unit 14 determines whether it is the player's turn to play a tile (step S202). If it is not the player's turn to play a tile, the assist control unit 14 finishes this process.

[0118] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S202 that there is an opportunity to play a tile, the assist control unit 14 determines whether it is possible to form a meld using the player's own drawn tile and the tiles in their hand (step S203). If it is determined that it is possible to form a meld, the assist control unit 14 determines the target tiles for the meld that is determined to be possible to form (step S204). Next, the assist control unit 14 determines whether it is possible to form multiple sets of melds (step S205). If it is determined that there are multiple sets, the assist control unit 14 selects a set of melds to be displayed (step S206) and displays the target tiles of the selected set in a manner that distinguishes them from the other tiles in the hand (step S207). After that, the assist control unit 14 determines whether it has finished displaying all the sets determined in step S205, and if there are any sets that have not been displayed, it returns to step S206 and selects one of the undisplayed sets to be displayed. The display when steps S206 to S208 are repeated is shown in Figure 15 as an example.

[0119] If it is determined in step S205 that there are no multiple sets, that is, only a single set of tiles can be formed, the assist control unit 14 displays the tiles that form that set of tiles in a manner that distinguishes them from other tiles, for example as shown in Figure 14 (step S209). If step S208 is determined to be positive, or if the processing in step S209 is completed, the assist control unit 14 proceeds to step S211 in Figure 37. In step S211, it is determined whether the discarded tile for this draw has been finalized by the player discarding one tile, and if it is not finalized, it waits for it to be finalized. If a time limit is set for discarding a tile, and a predetermined tile, for example, the player's own drawn tile, is automatically selected as the discarded tile when the time limit has elapsed, the discarded tile may be determined to be finalized based on that selection.

[0120] Once the discarded tile is determined, the assist control unit 14 determines whether or not a set is formed among the player's 13 tiles (step S212). If no set is formed, the assist control unit 14 finishes the set display process. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S212 that a set is formed, the assist control unit 14 determines the tiles that form that set (step S213). Next, the assist control unit 14 determines whether or not multiple sets of sets have been formed (step S214). If it is determined that there are multiple sets, the assist control unit 14 selects a set of sets to be displayed (step S215) and displays the target tiles of the selected set in a manner that distinguishes them from the other tiles in the hand (step S216). After that, the assist control unit 14 determines whether or not the display has been completed for all sets determined in step S214, and if there are any sets that have not been displayed, it returns to step S215 and selects one of the undisplayed sets to be displayed. The display when steps S215 to S217 are repeated is shown in Figure 19 as an example.

[0121] If step S214 determines that there are no multiple sets, that is, only a single set of tiles has been formed, the assist control unit 14 displays the tiles that form that set of tiles in a manner that distinguishes them from other tiles, for example as shown in Figure 18 (step S218). If step S217 is determined to be positive, or if the processing in step S218 is completed, the assist control unit 14 finishes the tile display processing for this step.

[0122] In the processes shown in Figures 36 and 37, the target tiles of multiple sets of tiles were displayed sequentially by repeating steps S206 to S208 or steps S215 to S217. However, these target tiles may also be displayed simultaneously in a manner that distinguishes them by set, for example, as shown in Figure 20 or Figure 21.

[0123] In the process shown in Figure 36, the system determines whether a meld can be formed at the opportunity when the player should choose a discard (steps S202, S203). However, the possibility of forming a meld may be determined at an earlier stage. In Mahjong, the order of drawing and discarding tiles between players is predetermined, and unless a call occurs and the order of drawing and discarding changes, the control unit 10 can identify each player's drawn tile in advance. Therefore, once a player's discard is finalized, it is possible to predict the player's next drawn tile and determine whether a meld can be formed at the next draw. Thus, the process may be modified to determine whether a meld can be formed earlier than the time of drawing and discarding. If no call occurs and the order of drawing and discarding is maintained by the next draw, the already obtained determination result is used. If a call occurs, the system determines whether a meld can be formed at the next draw according to the new order of drawing and discarding.

[0124] In the above configuration, the assist control unit 14 functions as an example of an opportunity determination means by executing the processes in steps S161 and S162 of Figure 35, functions as an example of a hand name presentation means by executing the processes in steps S165 and S166, functions as an example of a game situation determination means by executing the process in step S161, and functions as an example of an importance determination means by determining the relative importance of the target hand based on the game situation in the process of step S164. However, the present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and various modifications or changes may be made to the setting of opportunities for presenting hand names, the setting of target hands for which hand names should be presented, the criteria for distinguishing importance, the manner of display for determining importance, etc., as described above.

[0125] Various aspects of the present invention derived from the embodiments and modifications described above are described below. In the following description, corresponding components shown in the accompanying drawings are indicated in parentheses to facilitate understanding of each aspect of the present invention, but this does not mean that the present invention is limited to the illustrated forms.

[0126] A computer program (Pg) according to one aspect of the present invention is a computer program for a mahjong game that causes a computer (10) to function to provide a mahjong game, wherein the computer is configured to function as an opportunity determination means (14, S161, S162) that determines whether an opportunity to present the name of at least one mahjong hand to the player has arrived during the progress of a game, and a hand name presentation means (14, S165, S166) that, if it is determined that such an opportunity to present the name of the hand has arrived, presents the name of the hand to the player in such a way that the importance of the hand in the game can be determined.

[0127] A game system (1) according to one aspect of the present invention is a game system including a computer (10) that functions to provide a mahjong game, wherein the computer is configured to function as an opportunity determination means (14, S161, S162) that determines whether an opportunity to present the name of at least one mahjong hand to the player has arrived during the progress of a game, and a hand name presentation means (14, S165, S166) that, if it is determined that such an opportunity to present the name of the hand has arrived, presents the name of the hand to the player in such a way that the importance of the hand in the game can be determined.

[0128] A game control method according to one aspect of the present invention is a game control method for causing a computer (10) to function to provide a mahjong game, wherein the computer functions as an opportunity determination means (14, S161, S162) for determining whether an opportunity to present the name of at least one mahjong hand to the player has arrived during the progress of a game, and a hand name presentation means (14, S165, S166) for presenting the name of the target hand to the player in a manner that allows the importance of the target hand in the game to be determined, if it has been determined that such an opportunity has arrived.

[0129] According to the above configuration, at least some of the Mahjong hands are presented to the player in a way that allows them to determine their importance in a single game. As a result, even if the player is not familiar with Mahjong hands, they can grasp the hands and their importance during the game. Therefore, they can make more accurate decisions about actions they need to take, such as selecting which tiles to discard, within a limited time. This enhances the enjoyment of the Mahjong game and motivates users unfamiliar with Mahjong to play.

[0130] Furthermore, a computer program according to one aspect of the present invention may be provided stored on a storage medium. Using this storage medium, for example, by installing and executing the computer program according to the present invention on a computer, the system of the present invention can be realized using that computer. The storage medium on which the computer program is stored may be a non-transient storage medium such as a CD-ROM.

[0131] In the above embodiment, the opportunity determination means may determine that the opportunity to present the name of the hand has arrived when at least one of the player and the player's opponents has reached the stage where the target hand is completed or a predetermined stage before completion. The name of the hand presentation means may then present the name of the target hand to the player in a manner that allows the importance to be determined. In this way, when any hand is completed as a target hand in the target player's hand, or when it has reached a certain stage towards completion, the name of that hand, along with its importance, is presented to the player. Therefore, the player can understand what kind of hand of what importance they or any of their opponents have completed, or are approaching a predetermined stage towards completion, and consider the tactics and strategies for the subsequent game.

[0132] The aforementioned role name presentation means may present the role name to the player by displaying the role name of the target role on the game screen (100) that the player can see, with the display manner differing according to the importance of the role. This makes it possible for the player to intuitively grasp the importance of the role through the differences in the display manner.

[0133] The aforementioned role name display means may change at least one of the display color, pattern, and font of the role name according to its importance. By differentiating the display color, pattern, font, etc. according to importance, the importance of the target role can be presented more clearly to the player.

[0134] The computer may further function as a game situation determination means (14, S161) for determining the status of the game, and an importance determination means (14, S164) for determining the importance of the target hand based on the determination result of the game situation. This makes it possible to present the player with relative importance that changes according to the status of the game. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0135] 1. Game System 2 Game Servers 3 Game Devices 4. User devices 10. Control Unit (Computer) 13. Performance Control Unit 14 Assist Control Unit 100, 130 Game Screen 105 hand tiles 106 Self-imitation tiles 110 Excitement Gauge 111 Gauge body 112 Contribution Display Section 120, 131 Background images 133 Reward display section 150 display area 151 Hand Information Image 153 Mark 160 Match Information Department

Claims

1. A computer program for a mahjong game, which causes a computer to function to provide a mahjong game, the computer, An opportunity determination means for determining whether an opportunity has arisen during the progress of a game in mahjong to present the name of at least one target hand to the player, and When it is determined that the opportunity to present the aforementioned hand name has arrived, a hand name presentation means presents the name of the target hand to the player in such a way that the importance of the target hand can be determined when the target hand is completed in the aforementioned game. A computer program for a mahjong game, configured to function as such.

2. A computer program for a mahjong game, which causes a computer to function to provide a mahjong game, wherein the computer An opportunity determination means for determining whether, during the progress of a game, an opportunity has arisen to present to the player the name of at least one hand in mahjong, with that hand being the target hand. When it is determined that the opportunity to present the aforementioned role name has arrived, a role name presentation means presents the name of the target role to the player in such a way that the importance of the target role in the aforementioned game can be determined. A means for determining the status of the aforementioned match, and Importance determination means for determining the importance of the target role based on the determination result of the situation of the aforementioned match, A computer program for a mahjong game, configured to function as such.

3. The opportunity determination means determines that the opportunity to present the name of the hand has arrived when at least one of the player and the player's opponents has reached the stage where the target hand has been completed, or a predetermined stage before it has been completed. The computer program according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the means for presenting the name of the role presents the name of the target role to the player in such a manner that the importance of the role can be determined.

4. The computer program according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the means for presenting the name of the role presents the name of the target role to the player by displaying the name of the role on a game screen visible to the player in a manner that differs in display according to its importance.

5. The computer program according to claim 4, wherein the means for displaying the role name changes at least one of the display color, pattern, and font of the role name according to its importance.

6. A game system that functions to provide a Mahjong game, An opportunity determination means for determining whether an opportunity has arisen during the progress of a game in mahjong to present the name of at least one target hand to the player, When it is determined that the opportunity to present the aforementioned hand name has arrived, the hand name presentation means presents the name of the target hand to the player in such a way that the importance of the target hand can be determined when the target hand is completed in the aforementioned game, A game system equipped with these features.

7. A game system that functions to provide a mahjong game, An opportunity determination means for determining whether an opportunity has arisen during the progress of a game in mahjong to present the name of at least one target hand to the player, When it is determined that the opportunity to present the aforementioned role name has arrived, a role name presentation means presents the name of the target role to the player in such a way that the importance of the target role in the aforementioned game can be determined, A means for determining the status of the aforementioned match, An importance determination means for determining the importance of the target role based on the determination result of the situation of the aforementioned match, A game system equipped with these features.

8. A method for controlling a game that provides a mahjong game to be executed by a computer, An opportunity determination procedure for determining whether an opportunity has arisen during the progress of a game in Mahjong to present the name of at least one target hand to the players, and When it is determined that the opportunity to present the aforementioned hand name has arrived, the hand name of the target hand is presented to the player in such a manner that the importance of the target hand can be determined if the target hand is completed in the aforementioned game; A method for controlling a game that includes this.

9. A method for controlling a game that provides a mahjong game to be run by a computer, An opportunity determination procedure for determining whether an opportunity has arisen during the progress of a game in Mahjong to present the name of at least one target hand to the players, and When it is determined that the opportunity to present the aforementioned role name has arrived, the role name of the target role is presented to the player in such a manner that the importance of the target role in the aforementioned game can be determined; A procedure for determining the status of the aforementioned match, A procedure for determining the importance of the target role based on the results of determining the situation of the aforementioned match, A method for controlling a game that includes this.

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