Game Program

Abstract

This provides a feature that allows users to actively participate in the progress of the puzzle game. [Solution] A game program that causes a computer to run a puzzle game in which, after a puzzle piece is removed, the puzzle piece is moved to fill the gap in the puzzle area, and the direction of movement changes in response to collisions with other puzzle pieces during the movement, characterized in that the computer is made to run an appearance step in which a fixed puzzle piece different from the aforementioned puzzle piece appears in the puzzle area based on user input, and a fixing step in which the fixed puzzle piece is fixed in the puzzle area so that it cannot be moved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a game program for causing a computer to execute a puzzle game.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a puzzle game in which, after erasing a puzzle piece, the puzzle pieces are moved to fill the gaps in the puzzle area, and the moving direction changes according to collisions with other puzzle pieces during the movement. That is, due to user operations or the like, a puzzle piece is erased to form a gap, and due to the formation of the gap, another puzzle piece that has been supported by the erased puzzle piece until then loses support and collapses, and the surrounding puzzle pieces including the collapsed puzzle piece move within the puzzle area to fill the gap, and when they collide with other puzzle pieces during the movement, the moving direction changes according to the collision. A puzzle game having such a series of behaviors is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In such a puzzle game, after erasing a puzzle piece, there are many scenes where the process of the puzzle pieces collapsing and moving to fill the gap automatically progresses. For this reason, there is little room for the user to strategically intervene in the game progress, and the game progress tends to become monotonous. Therefore, a function that allows the user to actively participate in the game progress is required.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a game program that (1) causes a computer to execute a puzzle game in which, after a puzzle piece is removed, the puzzle piece is moved to fill the gap in the puzzle area, and the direction of movement changes in response to collisions with other puzzle pieces during the movement, characterized in that the computer is made to execute an appearance step in which a fixed puzzle piece different from the aforementioned puzzle piece appears in the puzzle area based on user input, and a fixing step in which the fixed puzzle piece is fixed in the puzzle area so that it cannot be moved.

[0006] (2) The game program according to (1) above, characterized in that the appearance step is a step of converting at least one puzzle piece from among a plurality of puzzle pieces in the puzzle area into the fixed puzzle piece.

[0007] (3) The game program according to (2) above, characterized in that the appearance step is a step of converting at least one puzzle piece from among the puzzle pieces targeted for deletion in a deletion process in which puzzle pieces are deleted by user input, or at least one puzzle piece having a predetermined relationship with the puzzle piece targeted for deletion, into the fixed puzzle piece.

[0008] (4) The game program according to (3) above, characterized in that the conversion to a fixed puzzle piece in the appearance step is performed when a predetermined condition is met.

[0009] (5) The game program according to (3) or (4) above, characterized in that when a plurality of adjacent puzzle pieces having the same attributes are specified consecutively by user input, the plurality of puzzle pieces are to be deleted, and at least one of the puzzle piece that was first specified by user input and the puzzle piece that was last specified by user input is converted into the fixed puzzle piece, and the remaining puzzle pieces excluding the puzzle piece that was converted into the fixed puzzle piece are deleted.

[0010] (6) The game program according to (1) above, characterized in that the fixed puzzle piece is a special puzzle piece that has a predetermined function different from that of an ordinary puzzle piece when it is fixed in a state that it cannot be moved by the fixing step.

[0011] (7) The game program according to (6) above, characterized in that the computer is made to perform the following steps during the game: a warning display step, which is to display a region in the puzzle area in advance, where a hole for sucking up puzzle pieces will be generated; a hole display step, which is to display a hole in the generation region and generate the hole when a predetermined time has elapsed after the execution of the warning display step; and a suck-up prohibition step, which is to prohibit the sucking up of puzzle pieces from the hole if the special puzzle piece is present in the generation region.

[0012] (8) The game program according to (7) above, characterized in that after the hole generation prohibition step is performed, the computer is made to perform a normalization step of changing the special puzzle piece into a puzzle piece that can be moved within the puzzle area.

[0013] (9) The game program according to (6) above, characterized in that when the special puzzle piece is selected based on user input, the computer is made to perform an erasure process which erases at least one of the other puzzle pieces included in the puzzle area.

[0014] (10) The game program according to (6) above, characterized in that the computer is made to perform a grouping step in which the first group of puzzle pieces and the second group of puzzle pieces are grouped together via the special puzzle piece, based on the user's input.

[0015] (11) The game program according to (10) above, characterized in that, in the grouping step, if the first group of puzzle pieces is specified consecutively, the special puzzle piece adjacent to the last specified puzzle piece in the first group of puzzle pieces is specified consecutively, and further, if the second group of puzzle pieces adjacent to the special puzzle piece is specified consecutively, the first group of puzzle pieces and the second group of puzzle pieces are grouped via the special puzzle piece.

[0016] (12) The game program according to (11) above, characterized in that the computer is made to perform the step of erasing the special puzzle piece and the first group of puzzle pieces and the second group of puzzle pieces that are grouped through the special puzzle piece.

[0017] (13) The game program according to (1) above, characterized in that the appearance step is a step in which a fixed puzzle piece is made to appear in the area where the puzzle piece was erased after a predetermined time has elapsed following an erasure process in which a puzzle piece is erased by user input. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, in a puzzle game in which puzzle pieces are moved to fill the gaps in the puzzle area after a puzzle piece has been removed, and the direction of movement changes in response to collisions with other puzzle pieces during such movement, the user can actively participate in the progress of the game. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of a communication system 1000 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of a communication device 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of server 500 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4]It is a block diagram showing the game processing function 10 of the communication device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] It is a block diagram showing the game processing function 50 of the server 500 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing an example of a basic game image GI of a puzzle game according to the first embodiment (a state where puzzle pieces P are arranged in the puzzle area PA). [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing an example of a state where puzzle pieces P1 to P8 are successively specified by a tracing operation (slide operation) according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing an example of a state where at least one of the puzzle pieces P targeted for deletion is converted into a fixed puzzle piece Pf in relation to the deletion process according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing an example of a state where a preview display indicating the hole generation area H is displayed within the puzzle area PA prior to the generation of a hole according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a diagram showing an example of a state where a hole is generated according to the second embodiment and the puzzle pieces P existing within the suction range of the hole can move toward the hole. [Figure 11] It is a diagram showing an example of a state where a suction - prohibited puzzle piece Pf (special puzzle piece Pf) according to the second embodiment is arranged in the hole generation area H and the generation of the hole is prohibited. [Figure 12] It is a diagram showing an example of a special puzzle piece (bomb puzzle piece) according to the second embodiment, in a state where an erasing function for erasing surrounding puzzle pieces P can be executed by a user's operation input. [Figure 13] It is a diagram showing an example of a grouping function according to the second embodiment, in a state where the first puzzle piece group (G1) and the second puzzle piece group (G2) can be exceptionally grouped via a special puzzle piece Pf (when the attributes of the first group and the second group are the same). [Figure 14]This is a diagram illustrating the grouping function according to the second embodiment, showing an example where the last puzzle piece designated in the first puzzle piece group and the first puzzle piece designated in the second puzzle piece group are not adjacent to each other. [Figure 15] This is a diagram illustrating the grouping function according to the second embodiment, showing an example of a state where the last puzzle piece designated in the first puzzle piece group and the first puzzle piece designated in the second puzzle piece group are adjacent to each other. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] Hereinafter, a game program (specifically, a program for controlling the images of a puzzle game) according to one embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments shown below, and can be implemented in various ways. In the drawings, components having the same or equivalent function are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted. (Communication system configuration) Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a communication system 1000 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The communication system 1000 comprises a communication device 100 and a server 500. The communication device 100 and the server 500 are interconnected via a network NW consisting of the Internet or various communication lines. The communication system 1000 is a client-server type system in which the communication device 100 is the client and the server 500 is the server.

[0021] The communication device 100 is, for example, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone, and functions as a client in the communication system 1000. In this embodiment, the case where the communication device 100 is a smartphone is described as an example, but it is not limited to this. The communication device 100 can communicate with the server 500 or other communication devices 100 by connecting to the network NW. A game program is also installed on the communication device 100, and a puzzle game is provided when the game program is executed. In the puzzle game, a game image GI is displayed on the display unit 103, and the game image GI includes a puzzle area PA. In addition to a smartphone, the communication device 100 may be a PC, tablet terminal, mobile phone, wearable device, game console with communication functions, etc.

[0022] The game program may be downloaded from the server 500 to the communication device 100 via the network NW, or it may be pre-installed on the communication device 100. Furthermore, the game program may be provided recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a magnetic recording medium, optical recording medium, magneto-optical recording medium, or semiconductor memory. In this case, the communication device 100 may be any information processing device equipped with the function to read the recording medium. Note that if the game program is not acquired via the network NW, the communication device 100 does not need to communicate with the server 500 and may not have a communication function.

[0023] The game program can be executed in any of the following ways: by the communication device 100 alone, by the server 500, or by the communication device 100 and the server 500 working together and sharing the processing.

[0024] Server 500 is an information processing device that provides game programs and various services to the communication device 100. These services include, for example, login processing and synchronization processing in online games. Game programs are recorded in a storage device provided by Server 500, a recording medium readable by Server 500, or a database accessible via a network NW. Although Figure 1 shows Server 500 as a single device, Server 500 may be composed of multiple information processing devices.

[0025] (Communication equipment configuration) Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a communication device 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The communication device 100 includes a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, a display unit 103, an operation unit 104, a sensor unit 105, an imaging unit 106, a position detection unit 107, a communication unit 108, an audio input / output unit 109, and a notification unit 110. However, the communication device 100 is not limited to having all of these components, and some components may be omitted or other components may be added as needed.

[0026] The control unit 101 is a circuit for executing various processes in the communication device 100 and has the function of executing multiple programs. The control unit 101 is equipped with a processor (arithmetic processing unit) such as a CPU and a memory device such as RAM, and realizes various functions of the communication device 100 by executing programs stored in the memory unit 102 using the processor. Signals output from each element constituting the communication device 100 are used for processing executed by the control unit 101.

[0027] The memory unit 102 is a storage device that stores information such as a program and various parameters necessary for the execution of the program. In addition to the aforementioned game program, the memory unit 102 may also store various programs such as the OS of the communication device 100. The memory unit 102 is a recording device that permanently retains information and allows for information rewriting, and may be composed of non-volatile memory, a hard disk drive, or the like.

[0028] The display unit 103 is a display device having a display area for displaying various display images, such as game images, based on the control of the control unit 101. The display unit 103 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

[0029] The operation unit 104 is an operating device that outputs signals to the control unit 101 in response to user operations. When the communication device 100 is a smartphone, the operation unit 104 includes a touch sensor located on the surface of the display unit 103, and the touch sensor and the display unit 103 work together to form a touch panel. The user can perform various operations by touching the touch panel. The operation unit 104 is not limited to this and may also include input devices such as physical switches, mice, keyboards, and game controllers provided on the housing. In response to operation input via an indicator, a corresponding command or information is input to the communication device 100.

[0030] The sensor unit 105 is a device that acquires information about the operating status of the communication device 100 and the surrounding environment, and outputs it as a signal. In this embodiment, an acceleration sensor is exemplified as the sensor unit 105, but it is not limited to this, and various sensors such as an illuminance sensor, a temperature sensor, and a magnetic sensor may be included. The control unit 101 acquires information about the movement of the communication device 100, such as tilt and vibration, based on the output signal from the sensor unit 105.

[0031] The imaging unit 106 is an imaging device that converts the image of the object to be imaged into a signal, and functions as a so-called camera. The communication device 100 can generate image data such as still image files and video files based on the imaging signal output from the imaging unit 106. The imaging unit 106 may also function as a scanner that reads identification codes such as one-dimensional codes or two-dimensional codes.

[0032] The position detection unit 107 is a device for detecting the position of the communication device 100 based on position information. In this embodiment, the position detection unit 107 is configured to detect the position of the communication device 100 using GNSS, but is not limited to this configuration.

[0033] The communication unit 108 is a wireless or wired communication module for transmitting and receiving information. If the communication device 100 is a smartphone, the communication unit 108 is configured as a wireless communication module. The communication unit 108 connects to a network NW under the control of the control unit 101 and can send and receive information with the server 500 and other communication devices 100. The communication unit 108 may also include a communication module that performs infrared communication or short-range wireless communication.

[0034] The audio input / output unit 109 has the function of inputting and outputting audio. Audio input is performed, for example, via a microphone, and audio output is performed via a speaker. The audio input / output unit 109 is used for the call function, as well as for outputting voices and sound effects that accompany game progress.

[0035] The notification unit 110 is a device for notifying the user of various information, and notifies the user by visual, auditory, or tactile means. For example, the notification unit 110 can transmit information to the user using light, sound, or vibration. If the notification unit 110 is equipped with a lamp, notification can be made by lighting or flashing the lamp. Alternatively, notification may be made by vibrating the entire housing with a vibrator. Furthermore, it may be configured to notify by voice in cooperation with the sound input / output unit 109. In this embodiment, the notification unit 110 is used to inform the user of various information related to the progress of the game, as a means other than displaying game images. For example, the notification may be made by sound, light, or vibration to indicate the timing of hole occurrence (start of notification display) or the timing of hole occurrence, the appearance of fixed puzzle piece Pf, the prohibition of hole occurrence by special puzzle piece Pf, the establishment of grouping, etc.

[0036] (Server configuration) Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a server 500 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The server 500 is configured to include a control unit 501, a storage unit 502, and a communication unit 503.

[0037] The control unit 501 is a circuit that executes various processes in the server 500 and has the function of executing multiple programs. The control unit 501 is equipped with a processor (arithmetic processing unit) such as a CPU and a storage device such as RAM, and realizes various functions in the server 500 by executing programs stored in the storage unit 502 using the processor. Signals output from each element constituting the server 500 are used for processing executed by the control unit 501.

[0038] The memory unit 502 is a storage device that stores information such as programs and various parameters necessary for the execution of those programs. For example, the aforementioned game program is stored in the memory unit 502. The memory unit 502 can also store various information received from other devices, such as the communication device 100, via the network NW. The memory unit 502 is a recording device capable of permanent information retention and information rewriting, and may be composed of non-volatile memory, a hard disk drive, or the like.

[0039] The communication unit 503 is a wireless or wired communication module for transmitting and receiving information. The communication unit 503 is connected to the network NW under the control of the control unit 501 and can send and receive information with the communication device 100 and other servers. Other servers may include, for example, a game server, an SNS server, an email server, etc.

[0040] (Game processing function of the communication device) The game processing functions performed in the communication device 100 will now be described. These game processing functions are realized by the control unit 101 of the communication device 100 executing a game program. Note that all or part of the functions described below may be implemented by hardware. These game processing functions may include processes such as physics calculations based on virtual gravity, collision detection, collapse movement, appearance and fixing of fixed puzzle pieces Pf, warning display, occurrence and prevention of hole occurrence, and grouping.

[0041] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing a game processing function 10 of a communication device 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The game processing function 10 includes a game operation acquisition unit 11, a setting data reception unit 12, a game data storage unit 13, a game processing execution unit 14, a status data transmission unit 15, a display data generation unit 16, and a display data output unit 17. Note that the configuration shown in Figure 4 is an example, and some functions may be omitted or other functions may be added as needed.

[0042] The game operation acquisition unit 11 acquires game-related operations from among the operations input by the user to the operation unit 104. Game-related operations include, for example, operations in which the user continuously selects puzzle pieces P within the puzzle area PA (including operations that continuously select by tracing (sliding) or tapping), and may acquire information to identify the start of the continuous selection, the order of selection during the continuous selection, the timing of confirmation of the continuous selection (for example, when the indicated object leaves the display unit 103, or when the confirmation operation is input), and the puzzle piece that was first selected (the starting point of the tracing) and the puzzle piece that was last selected (the ending point of the tracing) among the continuously selected puzzle pieces.

[0043] Furthermore, the game operation acquisition unit 11 may acquire the operation (e.g., tap) selected by the user for the special puzzle piece Pf. In addition, in order to detect that the user has specified the first puzzle piece group → special puzzle piece Pf → second puzzle piece group in succession, the unit may acquire the target switching during the succession (transition from the first puzzle piece group to the special puzzle piece Pf, and from the special puzzle piece Pf to the second puzzle piece group).

[0044] The configuration data receiving unit 12 receives configuration data from the server 500 via the communication unit 108. The configuration data is data that includes various configuration parameters related to the progress of the game and is generated at the server 500. The configuration data may also include control data used for game control.

[0045] The game data storage unit 13 stores the setting data received by the setting data receiving unit 12, as well as image data and other data necessary for displaying game images. The game data storage unit 13 may also be configured to store status data, which will be described later.

[0046] The game processing execution unit 14 executes processes to control the progress of the puzzle game based on the operations acquired by the game operation acquisition unit 11. Specifically, the game processing execution unit 14 may include (a) a process to drop puzzle pieces P based on virtual gravity, (b) a process to move puzzle pieces P to fill gaps in the puzzle area PA after an elimination process has created such gaps (collapse movement), (c) a process to determine collisions with other puzzle pieces P during these movements and change the direction of movement (velocity vector) according to the collision or contact, and (d) a process to update the board state data accordingly.

[0047] Furthermore, the game processing execution unit 14 may perform the following steps based on user input (e.g., execution of an erase process): making a fixed puzzle piece Pf appear in the puzzle area PA (appearance step), and fixing the appeared fixed puzzle piece Pf in the puzzle area PA so that it cannot be moved (fixing step). The appearance of a fixed puzzle piece Pf may be performed by converting at least one of the puzzle pieces P existing in the puzzle area PA into a fixed puzzle piece Pf. For example, at least one of the puzzle pieces P (including the tracing start point / tracing end point) that are targeted for erasure may be converted into a fixed puzzle piece Pf.

[0048] Furthermore, the appearance of a fixed puzzle piece Pf may be achieved by converting a puzzle piece P that has a predetermined relationship with the puzzle piece P targeted for deletion into a fixed puzzle piece Pf after the deletion process has been executed. In addition, the fixed puzzle piece Pf may appear in the area (gap) where the puzzle piece was deleted after a predetermined time has elapsed after the deletion process has been executed. "Immovable" in the fixing step may be achieved by excluding it from the update target of the physics calculation, setting its velocity to 0, etc.

[0049] Furthermore, the game processing execution unit 14 may perform a grouping step (grouping step) that groups the first group of puzzle pieces and the second group of puzzle pieces via a special puzzle piece Pf. Specifically, if the user successively specifies the first group of puzzle pieces, then successively specifies the special puzzle piece Pf adjacent to the last puzzle piece specified in the first group, and then successively specifies the second group of puzzle pieces adjacent to the special puzzle piece Pf, the unit may perform a process that associates the first group and the second group as the same unit via the special puzzle piece Pf.

[0050] Furthermore, the game processing execution unit 14 may perform a process to erase the special puzzle piece Pf and the first and second groups grouped through the special puzzle piece Pf all at once. In addition, after performing the grouping process, the system may perform a process (normalization step) to change the special puzzle piece Pf into a normal puzzle piece P that can be moved within the puzzle area PA, without performing the erasure process.

[0051] In addition, the game processing execution unit 14 may perform the following steps: a process to display a hole generation area within the puzzle area PA in advance (advance display step); a process to display a hole in the generation area and generate a hole when a predetermined time has elapsed after the execution of the advance display (hole display step); and a process to prohibit the generation of a hole by not executing the hole display step if a special puzzle piece Pf exists in the generation area when the predetermined time has elapsed (hole generation prohibition step).

[0052] Furthermore, if a hole occurs, a suction process (sequential updating of speed or position based on suction force) may be performed to move puzzle pieces P within the suction range of the hole toward the hole and eliminate puzzle pieces P that reach the hole. Alternatively, a special puzzle piece Pf may have an erasure function (bomb function) that erases surrounding puzzle pieces P when selected by user input.

[0053] The game processing execution unit 14 can update state data indicating the state of the game board based on these processes. The state data may include, for example, the arrangement state (position, attributes, etc.) of puzzle pieces P, their movement state (velocity vector, etc.), the position and immovable fixed state of fixed puzzle pieces Pf, the function type (no sucking, erase, grouping, etc.) and state of special puzzle pieces Pf, the grouping state (relationship information of the first group, second group, and Pf), the display state of the hole warning indicator, the hole occurrence state, the timing state for a predetermined time (countdown, etc.), and the execution status of the erase process.

[0054] The status data transmission unit 15 transmits the status data generated by the game processing execution unit 14 to the server 500 via the communication unit 108. The status data can be transmitted at any time, for example, when the game ends or when an event occurs.

[0055] The display data generation unit 16 generates display data corresponding to the game image GI displayed on the display unit 103, according to the progress of the game controlled by the game processing execution unit 14. The display data may include the puzzle area PA, puzzle piece P, fixed puzzle piece Pf, special puzzle piece Pf, holes, warning display (display of the hole occurrence area H), score display, and various effect displays.

[0056] Furthermore, the display data generation unit 16 may generate display data to make visible behaviors such as falling based on virtual gravity, collapse after erasure, and changes in the direction of movement in response to collisions. In addition, the display data generation unit 16 may generate display data (such as differences in appearance, frame display, illumination, identification marks, etc.) to distinguish fixed puzzle pieces Pf / special puzzle pieces Pf from ordinary puzzle pieces P.

[0057] Furthermore, the display data generation unit 16 may generate display data (such as remaining turns, countdown, progress gauge, etc.) that allows the user to recognize the elapsed time from the start of the warning display to the display of the hole. In addition, the display data generation unit 16 may generate display data that displays the group of puzzle pieces grouped via the special puzzle piece Pf in an identifiable manner, and display data that indicates that the prohibition of hole generation has been achieved.

[0058] The display data output unit 17 outputs the display data generated by the display data generation unit 16 to the display unit 103. The display data output unit 17 generates signals to control the output timing of the display image, and signals to control various driver circuits of the display unit 103, etc.

[0059] (Server game processing function) The following describes the game processing functions performed on server 500. These game processing functions are implemented by the control unit 501 of server 500 executing a game program. Note that all or part of the functions described below may be implemented by hardware.

[0060] Figure 5 is a block diagram showing a game processing function 50 of a server 500 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The game processing function 50 includes a status data receiving unit 51, a game data storage unit 52, a game processing execution unit 53, and a setting data transmission unit 54. The configuration shown in Figure 5 is an example, and some functions may be omitted or other functions may be added as needed.

[0061] The status data receiving unit 51 receives status data from the communication device 100 via the communication unit 503. The status data may include identification data for identifying the communication device 100, which is the source of the transmission.

[0062] The game data storage unit 52 stores status data received by the status data receiving unit 51, as well as setting data generated by the game processing execution unit 53. This status data and setting data are managed in association with each corresponding communication device 100.

[0063] The game processing execution unit 53 executes processes to manage the progress of the game based on the status data received by the status data receiving unit 51. Specifically, this includes processes for managing the status data associated with each communication device 100, processes for generating setting data according to the progress of the game (for example, hole generation area, predetermined time, suction range, suction force, appearance conditions / probability of fixed puzzle piece Pf, function type / appearance rules of special puzzle piece Pf, etc.), and processes for the communication device 100 to log into the game. Furthermore, the game processing execution unit 53 may be configured to execute at least a part of the game progress processing performed on the communication device 100 side.

[0064] In this specification, "setting data" refers to data used to set various parameters according to the game's progress. The setting data may include identification data for identifying the communication device 100, parameters related to the progress and control of the next game stage to be executed, as well as the appearance conditions and probability of fixed puzzle pieces Pf, parameters related to the occurrence of holes (hole occurrence area, warning display period (predetermined time), suction range, suction force, etc.), the function type and appearance rules of special puzzle pieces Pf, etc. The game processing execution unit 53 can generate setting data associated with the communication device 100 corresponding to the status data upon receiving the status data.

[0065] The configuration data transmission unit 54 transmits the configuration data generated by the game processing execution unit 53 to the corresponding communication device 100 via the communication unit 503. The configuration data transmission unit 54 can transmit the configuration data at predetermined timings, such as when an event occurs or when transitioning to the next game stage. In addition to the configuration data, the system may also transmit current status data to the communication device 100.

[0066] (Composition of game images) The game image GI described below is displayed when the control unit 101 of the communication device 100 executes the game program stored in the memory unit 102, and outputs the display data generated by each part of the game processing function 10 (Figure 4) (particularly the game processing execution unit 14 and the display data generation unit 16) to the display unit 103 via the display data output unit 17. However, the control unit 501 of the server 500 may execute a part of the game processing (for example, the generation of setting data) and cooperate with the communication device 100 to advance the game.

[0067] (Basic game content) The basic gameplay of the puzzle game of the present invention will be explained with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Figures 6 and 7 are game images GI for explaining the basic gameplay. The game image GI displays a puzzle area PA. The puzzle area PA is the area where puzzle pieces P are placed and where the movement of puzzle pieces P is performed. In this embodiment, the shape of the puzzle area PA is round-bottomed, but the present invention is not limited to this, and other shapes such as squares may be used. The game image GI is displayed on the display unit 103 of the communication device 100, and the touch panel of the operation unit 104 is positioned to overlap with the display unit 103.

[0068] The puzzle game of the present invention is a game in which puzzle pieces P in a puzzle area PA are removed based on user input. Specifically, multiple puzzle pieces P, each with an attribute assigned to it, are supplied to the puzzle area PA by falling sequentially from above and are arranged to stack from the bottom of the puzzle area PA.

[0069] When a user consecutively selects multiple puzzle pieces P within the puzzle area PA that are adjacent to each other and have the same attributes (if there are two or more adjacent puzzle pieces P, the starting position of the tracing operation is not limited to a specific position within the puzzle area PA, but can be started from anywhere on the board), the consecutively selected puzzle pieces P are grouped together as a piece group, and this piece group is erased (hereinafter also referred to as the basic rule). The condition for erasure may be that the number of consecutively selected puzzle pieces P is a predetermined number (for example, 3 pieces) or more. "Attributes" are information used to identify puzzle pieces P, and can be expressed by, for example, shape, pattern, color, combinations thereof, or displayed symbols. If the user can distinguish between puzzle pieces P through visual means, they are treated as having different attributes; if they cannot distinguish between them, they are treated as having the same attributes. In the example in Figure 6, puzzle pieces P with different attributes are distinguishable by differences in pattern.

[0070] Puzzle pieces P fall based on virtual gravity, and their direction of movement may change in response to collisions or contact with other puzzle pieces P. After the aforementioned elimination process creates a gap within the puzzle area PA, puzzle pieces P move to fill the gap (as a so-called collapse movement), and their direction of movement may change in response to collisions with other puzzle pieces P during this movement. Because the direction of movement of puzzle pieces P changes in response to collisions, etc., the puzzle game P of the present invention differs from grid-type puzzle games in which the movement of puzzle pieces P is limited to a specific direction such as up and down.

[0071] The movement of such puzzle piece P can be achieved, for example, by sequentially updating its velocity and position using physics calculations based on virtual gravity, detecting contact through collision detection during movement, and performing bounce or velocity vector correction according to the detection result. In this specification, a puzzle piece P that can undergo positional transitions to fill gaps within the puzzle area PA and can also be subject to elimination processing based on basic rules is also referred to as a "normal puzzle piece."

[0072] The mode of operation input is not particularly limited, but for example, it may be a "tracing operation (sliding operation)" in which the user selects multiple puzzle pieces P in succession by moving the contact position while the user is in contact with the display unit 103 with an object such as a finger or stylus pen. Alternatively, the puzzle pieces P may be selected sequentially by "tapping operations," and consecutive selections may be achieved by multiple taps.

[0073] The puzzle pieces P that are to be eliminated by the aforementioned consecutive designation are, in the basic rules, puzzle pieces P that are adjacent to each other and have the same attributes. Here, "adjacent" means that they are adjacent to each other within the puzzle area PA, and is not necessarily limited to a state where their outlines are touching on the screen. For example, adjacent pieces may be considered to be within a predetermined distance (clearance), and this clearance can be defined by a pre-set threshold. Also, unlike grid-type puzzle games, the direction of adjacency is not limited to a specific direction such as the up and down direction, but can be any direction within 360 degrees.

[0074] Figure 6 contains multiple groups of adjacent puzzle pieces P that share the same attributes. For the sake of clarity, the puzzle pieces P belonging to one of these groups are labeled P1 to P8. Figure 7 schematically shows the trajectories of tracing operations performed on puzzle pieces P1 to P8. When the clearing process is executed, the puzzle pieces move to fill the gaps within the puzzle area PA, and their direction of movement changes in response to collisions with other puzzle pieces during this movement.

[0075] The above describes the basic gameplay of this game based on the basic rules. Among the matters explained with reference to Figures 1 to 7, those common to each embodiment shall apply to all embodiments of the present invention, and unless otherwise specified, they shall be treated as common components in the following description.

[0076] (First Embodiment) When the erase process based on the above-mentioned basic rules, which is the user's input, is executed, a fixed puzzle piece Pf, which is different from a normal puzzle piece, appears in the puzzle area PA. A fixed puzzle piece Pf appears when a predetermined number of puzzle pieces of the same attribute, such as six or more, are selected consecutively and grouped, and the grouped puzzle piece is erased, and it is fixed in the puzzle area PA in an immovable state. "Immovable" means that the puzzle piece P is not subjected to any continuous movement, and this is included not only when the puzzle piece is completely fixed, but also when there is slight vibration, oscillation, or slight positional change in the vertical direction, as long as there is no transition of position. The fixing process may also be performed by excluding it from the update target of the physics calculation, setting its speed to 0, etc.

[0077] When a regular puzzle piece P collides with a fixed puzzle piece Pf, its direction of movement may change in response to the collision. If the sizes of the fixed puzzle piece Pf and the regular puzzle piece P are roughly the same, setting their collision detection areas (hit detection zones) to be the same may cause the fixed puzzle piece Pf to act as an obstacle, potentially excessively influencing the movement (collapse) behavior of the regular puzzle piece P. Therefore, the collision detection area of ​​the fixed puzzle piece Pf may be set to be smaller than that of the regular puzzle piece P. This allows the fixed puzzle piece Pf to remain within the puzzle area PA while suppressing the unnatural movement behavior of the regular puzzle piece P.

[0078] The appearance of fixed puzzle pieces Pf can prevent or lock puzzle pieces moving towards gaps, or change their direction of movement due to collisions, potentially altering the collapse behavior. This allows the user to actively participate in the changes to the puzzle area PA.

[0079] The process of making a fixed puzzle piece Pf appear may also be a process of converting at least one of the multiple puzzle pieces P in the puzzle area PA into a fixed puzzle piece Pf. Since existing puzzle pieces P can be converted into fixed puzzle pieces Pf, even if there are no available slots in the puzzle area PA, a fixed puzzle piece Pf can be made to appear immediately, and the results of user operations can be reflected without delay. Since it is at least one, two or more puzzle pieces P may be replaced with fixed puzzle pieces Pf.

[0080] The process for the appearance of fixed puzzle pieces Pf may involve converting at least one puzzle piece from among the puzzle pieces P targeted for elimination into a fixed puzzle piece Pf. For example, the puzzle piece at the starting point of tracing and / or the puzzle piece at the ending point of tracing may be converted into a fixed puzzle piece Pf, or one or more puzzle pieces selected randomly or based on a predetermined rule from among the puzzle pieces targeted for elimination may be converted into a fixed puzzle piece Pf. This makes it easier to adjust the appearance position of fixed puzzle pieces Pf according to the puzzle piece specified by the user (e.g., the starting point or ending point of tracing), potentially improving the strategic aspect of the game. Figure 8 shows, as an example, the case where puzzle piece P8, which is the endpoint of the tracing, is converted into a fixed piece Pf among the puzzle pieces P1 to P8 (see Figure 6) that were targeted for elimination.

[0081] Furthermore, the process for creating a fixed puzzle piece Pf may also involve converting at least one puzzle piece P that has a predetermined relationship with the puzzle piece P targeted for elimination into a fixed puzzle piece Pf. Here, "a puzzle piece P with a predetermined relationship" refers to a puzzle piece P that is a candidate for conversion based on its relationship with the puzzle piece P targeted for elimination. For example, it could be a puzzle piece having the same attributes as the puzzle piece P targeted for elimination (its location within the puzzle area PA does not matter), a puzzle piece adjacent to the puzzle piece at the starting point of tracing, a puzzle piece adjacent to the puzzle piece at the ending point of tracing, or a puzzle piece adjacent to the group of puzzle pieces targeted for elimination. These puzzle pieces may be selected from a plurality of candidates based on a predetermined rule or random number.

[0082] The timing of the erasure process may be, for example, when the indicated object leaves the display unit 103 during the tracing operation, or when a predetermined confirmation operation is input. Alternatively, a time limit may be set, and after a predetermined time has elapsed since the first puzzle piece P was specified, the puzzle pieces P specified up to that point may be confirmed as targets for erasure, and the remaining puzzle pieces P, excluding those converted into fixed puzzle pieces, may be erased.

[0083] Fixed puzzle piece Pf may appear in an empty space within the puzzle area PA after a predetermined time has elapsed following a deletion process based on the basic rules initiated by user input. "Empty space within the puzzle area PA" refers to the area where puzzle piece P has been deleted. "Area where puzzle piece P has been deleted" refers to the area occupied by the puzzle piece P that was deleted by the deletion process (an area identified based on the position information immediately before deletion). The predetermined time may be measured, for example, starting from the point of completion of the erasure process. The appearance position of the fixed puzzle piece Pf may be set as a predetermined position within the erased area (for example, the area corresponding to the tracing start point, the area corresponding to the tracing end point, or an area selected from among the erased areas), or it may be selected from a plurality of candidates based on a predetermined rule or random number. Furthermore, if, at the time of the appearance of the fixed puzzle piece Pf, the area that has been erased due to collapse or other reasons is occupied by other puzzle pieces P, the appearance position may be corrected by searching for an unoccupied position within the erased area. Also, if the entire erased area is occupied, the fixed puzzle piece Pf may appear in an empty space in the puzzle area PA.

[0084] After the erasure process is performed, the fixed puzzle piece Pf may be made to appear only if predetermined conditions (hereinafter also referred to as appearance conditions) are met. The appearance conditions may be information determined by the execution of the erasure process (for example, the set of puzzle pieces to be erased, the puzzle piece initially specified by the user (starting point of tracing) and the puzzle piece last specified (ending point of tracing), the number of puzzle pieces erased, the location of the void created by the erasure, etc.). However, the fixed puzzle piece Pf may always be made to appear in response to the execution of the erasure process, regardless of the appearance conditions.

[0085] In one embodiment, the appearance condition may be determined to be met when the number of puzzle pieces removed by the removal process is greater than or equal to a predetermined number. For example, the appearance condition may be determined to be met when the number of puzzle pieces removed is 6 or more, and the fixed puzzle piece Pf may be made to appear. This allows the appearance of the fixed puzzle piece Pf to function as a reward for a large number of removals or as an event in the progression of the game.

[0086] In one embodiment, the appearance condition may be determined to be met if the puzzle piece initially specified by the user (the starting point of tracing) and / or the puzzle piece last specified (the ending point of tracing) are in a predetermined state during the erasure process. For example, the appearance condition may be determined to be met if the attributes of the puzzle piece P at the starting point and / or ending point of tracing are predetermined attributes, or if the position of the puzzle piece P is a predetermined position within the puzzle area PA. This motivates the player to plan their tracing method while being aware of the starting / ending point settings, thereby enhancing the strategic aspect of the game.

[0087] In one embodiment, the appearance condition may be determined to be met if the location or area of ​​the void formed by the erasure process satisfies a predetermined location or area. For example, the appearance condition may be determined to be met if the void is formed in the central area of ​​the puzzle area PA, or if its area is greater than or equal to a predetermined area. This motivates the player to plan their tracing while being aware of the location or area of ​​the void formed by the erasure process, thereby enhancing the strategic aspect of the game.

[0088] After any of the above-described elimination processes are performed, it may be determined that the appearance conditions have been met with a predetermined probability. Therefore, even when the same elimination process is performed, there may or may not be cases where the fixed puzzle piece Pf appears. As a result, the appearance or non-appearance can change probabilistically, creating anticipation for the appearance of the fixed puzzle piece Pf and preventing the game from becoming monotonous. Furthermore, since the appearance frequency can be adjusted probabilistically, it becomes easier to control the game's progression and difficulty.

[0089] The conditions for appearance may be fixed, or they may be dynamically changed depending on the game's difficulty, stage, score, number of plays, etc.

[0090] (Second Embodiment) The fixed puzzle piece Pf of this embodiment has a predetermined function that differs from that of a normal puzzle piece P when it is fixed in an immovable state by the fixing step. In this embodiment, the fixed puzzle piece Pf having such a predetermined function is referred to as a "special puzzle piece Pf". The predetermined function means that it affects the state of the board or the progress of the game in a manner different from that of a normal puzzle piece. The details of how the fixed puzzle piece Pf appears are as described in the first embodiment.

[0091] It is preferable that the special puzzle piece Pf is configured to be visually distinguishable from the regular puzzle piece P. Specifically, the appearance of the special puzzle piece Pf, such as its shape, frame, illumination, and pattern, may be different from that of the regular puzzle piece P. Alternatively, even if the appearance of the special puzzle piece Pf itself is the same as that of the regular puzzle piece P, an identification indicator, such as a pointing finger indicator, may be displayed on the screen corresponding to the special puzzle piece Pf so that the user can visually distinguish it. The following are examples of the specified functions.

[0092] (Intake prevention function) Referring to Figures 9 to 11, the suction prevention function provided by the special puzzle piece Pf will be explained. The puzzle game may include a configuration in which holes (hereinafter simply referred to as "holes") that suck in puzzle pieces P occur as events in the puzzle area PA. The special puzzle piece Pf can be made to function as a suction prevention puzzle piece (hereinafter also referred to as "suction prevention puzzle piece Pf") that prevents suction through said holes. A "hole" refers to an object (or area) displayed within the puzzle area PA that has the function of sucking in puzzle pieces P that are within a predetermined range and making them disappear. A hole may be represented, for example, as a circular or spiral image displayed at a predetermined position within the puzzle area PA. When a hole appears, puzzle pieces P adjacent to the hole are controlled to move towards the center of the hole, and puzzle pieces P that reach the inside of the hole (hole area) can be erased.

[0093] Suction through a hole can be achieved, for example, by setting a virtual gravitational force (attraction force) directed toward the center of the hole, and sequentially updating the speed or position of the puzzle piece P based on this attraction force. The range of suction, the strength of the attraction force, the time required for suction, and the trajectory of movement during suction (straight line, curve, spiral, etc.) can be set as appropriate.

[0094] Prior to the appearance of a hole, a warning indicator showing the hole's location H is displayed within the puzzle area PA. Figure 9 illustrates the state when the warning indicator showing the hole's location H is displayed. In Figure 9, the warning indicator is shown as a dotted circle, but it could also be a solid line or other format. The warning indicator allows the user to understand the hole's location in advance and plan how to deal with it. The area of ​​the hole generation region H may be larger than the area of ​​the fixed puzzle piece Pf. This makes it easier for the user to see the area where a suction event due to the hole may occur, thereby enhancing the warning effect for that event.

[0095] After a warning is displayed, a hole is displayed at the location corresponding to the hole's occurrence area once a predetermined time has elapsed, thereby creating the hole. The predetermined time may be measured from the start of the warning display, or it may be measured from the game's progress or the occurrence of a predetermined event. To make the user aware of the passage of this predetermined time, display data such as the number of remaining turns, a countdown timer, or a progress gauge may be generated. In Figure 9, the remaining number of turns is displayed to make the user aware of the remaining time until the pitfall appears.

[0096] If a hole occurs, the game may move puzzle pieces P within the hole's suction range toward the hole and eliminate any puzzle pieces P that reach the hole. Puzzle pieces P eliminated by a hole may be associated with predetermined effects in the game, such as a score deduction or being reflected in the game's end condition.

[0097] As described above, the suction-prevention puzzle piece Pf has the function of preventing suction through the hole. That is, when the timing for displaying the hole arrives (in other words, when a predetermined time has elapsed), if the suction-prevention puzzle piece Pf is present in the hole generation area H, the step of displaying the hole is replaced by preventing the hole from being generated. Specifically, if the suction-prevention puzzle piece Pf is entirely within the hole generation area H, or if it occupies a predetermined area or more within the hole generation area H, the presence of the suction-prevention puzzle piece Pf in the hole generation area H is considered, and the generation of the hole may be prohibited. Alternatively, the suction-prevention puzzle piece Pf may be made to appear after the hole has been generated, thereby preventing the puzzle piece P from being sucked in.

[0098] As described above, the method for the appearance of the fixed puzzle piece Pf (the non-suckable puzzle piece Pf) shall be based on the description in the first embodiment. However, it is desirable that the rules for the appearance of the non-suckable puzzle piece Pf be recognizable by the user rather than random. In this embodiment, as an example, among the puzzle pieces P designated consecutively by the tracing operation, the last designated puzzle piece P (the puzzle piece P8 at the end of the tracing) is converted into a puzzle piece Pf that cannot be sucked in, and an example of this is shown in Figure 11. If the user is aware of the appearance rules in advance, the operation of intentionally adjusting the appearance position of the fixed puzzle piece Pf and placing the puzzle piece Pf that cannot be sucked in in the hole generation area H can function as a strategic element to prevent the occurrence of holes.

[0099] The suction-prevention puzzle piece Pf used to prevent the formation of holes may be released from its fixed state and changed into a normal puzzle piece P that can move within the puzzle area PA. In other words, it may be used in game progression with normal behavior such as falling, collapsing, and disappearing based on virtual gravity, just like the puzzle piece P before it was changed into the suction-prevention puzzle piece Pf. This allows the suction-prevention puzzle piece Pf used to prevent the formation of holes to be reused, and can prevent game stagnation caused by events.

[0100] (Erase function) A special puzzle piece Pf may be a so-called bomb puzzle piece that has an erasure function that erases surrounding puzzle pieces P when selected by user input. Figure 12 is an example of a game image GI corresponding to a bomb puzzle piece Pf. For example, when a bomb puzzle piece Pf is specified by the user, area erasure may be performed to erase at least some of the puzzle pieces P included in a predetermined range (circle, rectangle, etc.) based on the bomb puzzle piece Pf. Furthermore, target erasure may be performed to selectively erase puzzle pieces P located at any position within the puzzle area PA or at a position specified by the user. In addition, attribute erasure may be performed to erase all puzzle pieces P having predetermined attributes at once. The bomb puzzle piece Pf may be activated by tapping the bomb puzzle piece Pf, or by tapping the activation button displayed on the screen. This can relieve the jamming of puzzle pieces and give the user a sense of exhilaration.

[0101] (Special grouping function) As described in the first embodiment, in the puzzle game of the present invention, the basic rule is that puzzle pieces that the user can continuously specify (by tracing or tapping, etc.) are groups of puzzle pieces that are adjacent and have the same attributes. In other words, in the basic rule, the pieces that can be grouped are groups of puzzle pieces that are adjacent and have the same attributes.

[0102] Here, a group of puzzle pieces that are adjacent and have the same attributes as each other is defined as the "first puzzle piece group." Furthermore, a group of puzzle pieces separate from the first puzzle piece group, that are adjacent and have the same attributes as each other, is defined as the "second puzzle piece group." It is not necessary to consider whether the attributes of the puzzle pieces in the second puzzle piece group are identical to the attributes of the puzzle pieces in the first puzzle piece group.

[0103] By using special puzzle pieces Pf (hereinafter also referred to as "grouping puzzle pieces Pf"), a grouping function different from the basic rules can be activated. Specifically, when (a) a first group of puzzle pieces is specified consecutively by the user, (b) grouping puzzle pieces Pf adjacent to the last specified puzzle piece in the first group of puzzle pieces are specified consecutively, and (c) a second group of puzzle pieces adjacent to the grouping puzzle pieces Pf is also specified consecutively, the first group of puzzle pieces and the second group of puzzle pieces can be associated as the same unit (group) via the grouping puzzle pieces Pf, and both groups can be treated as a group in subsequent processing (hereinafter also referred to as "special grouping"). Here, "adjacent" is not necessarily limited to a state where the external shapes are in contact, as explained in the first embodiment, but may also include a relationship where they are close together within a predetermined clearance. This allows the user to intuitively treat the first group of puzzle pieces and the second group of puzzle pieces as the same group with only a series of sequential designation operations, thereby improving usability.

[0104] Special groupings may include, for example, the following embodiments: (1) If the attributes of the puzzle pieces included in the first puzzle piece group and the second puzzle piece group are the same, and the first puzzle piece group and the second puzzle piece group are not directly adjacent to each other, but are adjacent to each other via a grouping puzzle piece Pf, then they can be grouped by specifying the first puzzle piece group, the grouping puzzle piece Pf, and the second puzzle piece group consecutively.

[0105] Figure 13 is an example of a game image GI in the embodiment described in (1) above. In Figure 13, for the sake of explanation, puzzle pieces included in the first puzzle piece group are labeled "G1" as a group identification code, and puzzle pieces included in the second puzzle piece group are labeled "G2" as a group identification code (the same applies to Figures 14 and 15 described later). In the basic rules, the first puzzle piece group and the second puzzle piece group cannot be grouped together if they are not directly adjacent to each other, even if their attributes are the same. However, if a grouping puzzle piece Pf exists between the first and second puzzle piece groups, even if the puzzle piece groups are not directly adjacent to each other, they can be grouped together via the grouping puzzle piece Pf.

[0106] (2) Even if the attributes of the puzzle pieces included in the first puzzle piece group and the second puzzle piece group are not the same, if the last puzzle piece specified in the first puzzle piece group and the first puzzle piece specified in the second puzzle piece group are both adjacent to the grouping puzzle piece Pf, the first puzzle piece group and the second puzzle piece group can be grouped via the grouping puzzle piece Pf.

[0107] Figure 14 is an example of a game image GI when the last puzzle piece specified in the first puzzle piece group and the first puzzle piece specified in the second puzzle piece group are not adjacent to each other. In this case, neither of the conditions in the basic rules (being the same attribute and being adjacent) is satisfied. Figure 15 is an example of a game image GI when the last puzzle piece specified in the first puzzle piece group and the first puzzle piece specified in the second puzzle piece group are adjacent to each other. In this case, the condition of "being adjacent" in the basic rules is satisfied, but the condition of "having the same attributes" is not satisfied. However, if a grouping puzzle piece Pf exists between the first group of puzzle pieces and the second group of puzzle pieces, even if the groups of pieces have different attributes, they can be grouped through the grouping puzzle piece Pf.

[0108] The first and second groups of puzzle pieces, grouped via the grouping puzzle piece Pf, can be eliminated together with the grouping puzzle piece Pf. This creates a void in the eliminated area, and puzzle pieces P within the puzzle area PA can move to fill this void. In this way, in addition to elimination based on the basic rules, exceptional elimination using the grouping puzzle piece Pf becomes possible, increasing the options for elimination methods depending on the state of the board.

[0109] Furthermore, in this embodiment, puzzle pieces fall or collapse due to physics calculations based on virtual gravity, making it difficult for puzzle pieces of the same attribute to be adjacent to each other. This means that only a small number of puzzle pieces can be removed in a single operation, which may cause stress for the user. By applying a configuration to such a puzzle game that allows grouping of pieces with different attributes via a grouping puzzle piece Pf, it becomes possible to specify puzzle pieces of other attributes consecutively, enabling the removal of a large number of pieces in a single operation and reducing user stress.

[0110] Here, as a reference example, the grouping puzzle piece Pf may be a puzzle piece that moves within the puzzle area PA. That is, in the first embodiment, a fixed puzzle piece Pf different from a normal puzzle piece is made to appear within the puzzle area PA in response to the erasure process, but the grouping puzzle piece Pf may remain fixed within the puzzle area PA, or it may be able to move within the puzzle area PA to fill the gap formed after erasure, similar to a normal puzzle piece P (reference example).

[0111] After the grouping process described above is performed, the grouped first and second puzzle piece groups may be deleted, and the grouped puzzle piece Pf may be changed to a normal puzzle piece P that can be moved within the puzzle area PA. Furthermore, after the grouping process described above has been performed, the first puzzle piece group, the second puzzle piece group, and the grouping puzzle piece Pf may be made to disappear, and item puzzle pieces such as the bomb puzzle piece Pf may be made to appear in the voids within the puzzle area PA.

[0112] In the puzzle game of the present invention, ordinary puzzle pieces P move by falling or collapsing based on physics calculations using virtual gravity, and their direction of movement may change in response to collisions or contact during such movement. Since the movement behavior of such ordinary puzzle pieces P can be determined automatically independently of user input, there may be situations in the collapse movement after elimination where the user's intentions are not easily reflected. In contrast, the present invention makes fixed puzzle pieces Pf appear based on user input and fixes these fixed puzzle pieces Pf immovably within the puzzle area PA. Since the fixed puzzle pieces Pf can restrict the movement path of ordinary puzzle pieces P during collapse movement or change their direction of movement in response to collisions, the user can influence the movement behavior of ordinary puzzle pieces P through the appearance position and timing of the fixed puzzle pieces Pf. This expands the scope in which the user can intervene in the outcome of the game through their actions and suppresses the monotony of the play experience caused by the automatic determination of the collapse behavior after elimination.

[0113] Furthermore, the configuration that fixes the grouping puzzle pieces Pe can prevent situations where "unused grouping puzzle pieces Pe freefall and accumulate below the puzzle area PA, making them unusable." [Explanation of symbols]

[0114] 10: Game processing function (communication device) 11: Game operation acquisition unit 12: Configuration data receiving unit 13: Game data storage unit 14: Game processing execution unit 15: Status data transmission unit 16: Display data generation unit 17: Display data output unit 50: Game processing function (server) 51: Status data receiving unit 52: Game data storage unit 53: Game processing execution unit 54: Configuration data transmission unit GI: Game image PA: Puzzle area P: Puzzle piece Pf: Fixed puzzle pieces (including special puzzle pieces, grouping puzzle pieces, etc.) H: Region where pores are generated

Claims

1. In a game program that causes a computer to run a puzzle game in which, after removing puzzle pieces, the remaining puzzle pieces within a puzzle area are moved to fill the gaps in the puzzle area where multiple puzzle pieces are placed, and the direction of movement of the moving puzzle pieces changes depending on collisions with other puzzle pieces, An appearance step in which a fixed puzzle piece different from the aforementioned puzzle piece appears within the puzzle area based on user input to the puzzle piece, A fixing step of fixing the fixed puzzle piece so that it cannot be moved within the puzzle area, A game program characterized by causing a computer to execute it.

2. The appearance step is a step of converting at least one puzzle piece from among multiple puzzle pieces in the puzzle area into the fixed puzzle piece. The game program according to feature 1.

3. The appearance step is a step in which, in an erasure process in which puzzle pieces are erased by user input, at least one puzzle piece that is to be erased, or at least one puzzle piece that has a predetermined relationship with the puzzle piece to be erased, is converted into the fixed puzzle piece. The game program according to feature 2.

4. The conversion to a fixed puzzle piece in the aforementioned appearance step is performed when predetermined conditions are met. The game program according to feature 3.

5. The aforementioned appearance step is a step in which, when multiple adjacent puzzle pieces having the same attributes are successively specified by the user's input, the multiple puzzle pieces are to be deleted, and at least one of the multiple puzzle pieces, specifically the puzzle piece first specified by the user's input and the puzzle piece last specified by the user's input, is converted into the fixed puzzle piece. The game program according to claim 3 or 4.

6. The aforementioned fixed puzzle piece is a special puzzle piece that, when fixed in an immovable state by the fixing step, performs a predetermined function different from that of a normal puzzle piece. The game program according to feature 1.

7. During the game, a preview display step is performed to show the area where the holes for sucking in puzzle pieces will be generated within the puzzle area. After the execution of the aforementioned warning display step, a predetermined time has elapsed, and a hole display step is performed to display a hole in the generation area and generate the hole, If the special puzzle piece is present in the generation area, a suction prohibition step is taken to prevent the puzzle piece from being sucked in through the hole. The game program according to claim 6, characterized in that it causes a computer to execute it.

8. After the suction prevention step is performed, a normalization step is performed to change the special puzzle piece into a puzzle piece that can be moved within the puzzle area. The game program according to claim 7, characterized in that it causes a computer to execute it.

9. When the special puzzle piece is selected based on user input, an erasure step is performed to erase at least one of the other puzzle pieces included in the puzzle area. The game program according to claim 6, characterized in that it causes a computer to execute it.

10. Based on user input, The first group of puzzle pieces is specified in sequence, The special puzzle pieces adjacent to the last puzzle piece specified in the first group of puzzle pieces are consecutively specified, Furthermore, if a second group of puzzle pieces adjacent to the special puzzle piece is designated consecutively, a grouping step is performed to group the first group of puzzle pieces and the second group of puzzle pieces via the special puzzle piece. A deletion step of deleting the first group of puzzle pieces and the second group of puzzle pieces grouped via the special puzzle piece, or the special puzzle piece and the first group of puzzle pieces and the second group of puzzle pieces grouped via the special puzzle piece, The game program according to claim 6, characterized in that it causes a computer to execute it.

11. The aforementioned appearance step is a step in which, after a predetermined time has elapsed following the execution of an erasure process in which a puzzle piece is erased by user input, the fixed puzzle piece is made to appear in the area where the puzzle piece was erased. The game program according to feature 1.

Images