Programs, systems, information processing devices, servers, and methods

Abstract

This invention provides a program, system, information processing device, server, and method that allows users to reference the abilities of other users' characters. [Solution] A program is provided that performs the following steps: receiving a change instruction for at least one of multiple ability values ​​of one or more characters based on input from a first user; consuming first game points according to the amount of change in the ability value for which a change instruction was received; outputting at least a portion of the ability values ​​of one or more characters in the first team of the first user to the second user based on input from a second user; and, if the second user possesses one or more characters of the same type as the target character in the first team, overwriting the ability values ​​of those possessed characters with the ability values ​​of the target character, and consuming second game points of the second user according to the amount of change in the ability value being overwritten.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a program, a system, an information processing apparatus, a server, and a method. In particular, the present invention relates to a program, a system, an information processing apparatus, a server, and a method capable of executing battles between characters in a virtual game space.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is a program for causing a computer to execute a game in which a player belongs a plurality of characters having ability values to his or her own group and battles between characters or between groups proceed. Based on character information stored in advance by information processing control means, the ability value of a character when belonging to his or her own group is determined as data of an initial ability value, and the ability value of a character belonging to his or her own group is increased or decreased according to the progress of the game, and the increased or decreased ability value is determined as data of a current ability value. The maximum value of the ability value since the character belonged to his or her own group is determined as data of a maximum ability value. In response to a confirmation operation of the ability value of a character belonging to his or her own group from the player, based on the data of the initial ability value, the data of the maximum ability value, and the data of the current ability value corresponding to the determined character, image data corresponding to the magnitude of each data is generated by image processing means, and the image data generated by the image processing means is displayed on a display element by image display control means (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to the program described in Patent Document 1, the ability values of a plurality of characters can be grasped in a game in which teams battle against each other.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the program described in Patent Document 1, while the user can understand the initial ability values, maximum ability values, and current ability values ​​of the character they own, they cannot change the ability values ​​of their own character based on the ability values ​​of another user's character. Furthermore, in the program described in Patent Document 1, the user cannot refer to the ability values ​​of another user's character.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a program, system, information processing device, server, and method that allows a user to refer to the abilities of other users' characters. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a program for a computer that controls a game capable of performing battles between characters in a virtual game space, comprising a processor and memory, wherein the program causes the processor to perform the following steps: receive a change instruction for at least one of several types of ability values ​​that affect battles between one or more characters owned by the first user, based on input from the first user; consume the first user's first game points in accordance with the amount of change in the ability value for which the change instruction was received; output to the second user, based on input from the second user, at least a portion of the ability values ​​of one or more characters included in a first team that includes one or more characters owned by the first user; if one or more characters owned by the second user are of the same type as at least one target character among the one or more characters in the first team, overwrite the ability values ​​of each of those owned characters with the ability values ​​of the target character; and consume the second user's second game points in accordance with the amount of change in each of the ability values ​​to be overwritten. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The program, system, information processing device, server, and method according to the present invention provide a program, system, information processing device, server, and method that allows users to refer to the abilities of other users' characters. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a functional configuration diagram of the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a data configuration diagram of the storage unit according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart of the processing in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a diagram showing the transitions between output screens in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a diagram showing the transitions between output screens in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a diagram showing the transitions between output screens in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a diagram showing the transitions between output screens in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a diagram showing the transitions between output screens in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a diagram showing the transitions between output screens in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a diagram showing the transitions between output screens in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a diagram showing the transitions between output screens in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 13] This is a diagram showing the transitions between output screens in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 14] This is a diagram showing the transitions between output screens in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 15] This is a flowchart of the processing in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 16]This is a transition diagram of an output screen in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 17] This is a transition diagram of an output screen in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 18] This is a transition diagram of an output screen in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 19] This is a transition diagram of an output screen in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 20] This is a transition diagram of an output screen in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 21] This is a transition diagram of an output screen in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 22] This is a transition diagram of an output screen in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 23] This is a transition diagram of an output screen in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 24] This is a transition diagram of an output screen in the system according to this embodiment. [Figure 25] This is a transition diagram of an output screen in the system according to this embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] [Embodiment] <Premise of System 1> (Overview of the game in System 1) System 1 according to this embodiment is a game system that enables character battles to be held in a virtual game space. In other words, System 1 can cause a battle to be held in a virtual game space between a first team, which includes one or more characters owned by the first user, and a second team, which includes one or more characters owned by the second user or a second team, which includes one or more characters owned by a non-player character (NPC). System 1 can also determine the winner and / or loser of the battle and award predetermined rewards to them. Here, System 1 causes one or more characters of the first team to perform battle actions based on the instructions of the first user, and causes one or more characters of the second team to perform battle actions based on the instructions of the second user (if the second user is an NPC, System 1 causes one or more characters of the second team to perform automatic battle actions).

[0010] In games related to System 1, users can adjust the abilities of their characters (characters acquired within games related to System 1, and / or characters acquired in other games related to systems different from System 1) by spending in-game points (hereinafter referred to as "game points") based on user instructions. In System 1, game points are awarded to users by completing designated missions in the game or by participating in in-game battles. Users can use the awarded game points to adjust the abilities of one or more characters they own and form a team that includes the characters with adjusted abilities. Then, users use the formed team to participate in battles.

[0011] In games involving System 1, a user can form their own team by referencing the teams of other users, including those owned by other users. Specifically, if the type of character owned by a user is the same as the type of character included in another user's team, System 1 will, based on the user's instructions, overwrite the abilities of that character with the abilities of the other character. System 1 then deducts an amount of game points or a predetermined number of game items from the game points and game items owned by the user, determined by the amount of change in the overwritten abilities (i.e., the difference between the character's abilities before overwriting and its abilities after overwriting using the abilities of the other character). The user can then form a team using the character whose abilities have been overwritten.

[0012] (Regarding character abilities and a background of System 1) In System 1, each character has multiple abilities and ability values ​​(ability scores), as well as techniques and other abilities. Users can adjust the balance of their character's ability scores to make them more advantageous in battle (hereinafter, adjusting a character's ability scores may be referred to as "development" or "training").

[0013] Herein, although not limited to the following, the characters used in System 1 may have the following ability scores assigned to them. Note that the first ability score below may be a value determined based on the second to fourth ability scores.

[0014] 1) Primary Ability Score: Character's ability score (status value) Characters may have ability values ​​such as "HP (1st parameter)" which indicates their physical strength, "Attack (2nd parameter)" which indicates their attack power, and "Defense (3rd parameter)" which indicates their defense power.

[0015] 2) Second Ability Score: Parameter value based on the character type In a game, multiple types of characters may appear. Each type of character may have a parameter value that serves as a standard for determining its ability scores (a standard for determining both the minimum and maximum values ​​of ability scores). Therefore, for example, the minimum and maximum HP of one type of character may be determined based on a standard set for that type of character, while the minimum and maximum HP of other types of characters may be determined based on other standards set for those other types of characters. Furthermore, the standards for one type of character and the standards for other types of characters may be different. As a result, the minimum and maximum HP of one type of character may not necessarily match the minimum and maximum HP of other types of characters. The same applies to other "character ability scores."

[0016] 3) Third Ability Score: Parameter values ​​for each individual character In the case of characters of the same type, even if the "parameter values ​​based on character type" are the same and the criteria for each ability score are the same, different parameter values ​​(however, values ​​above the criteria for the ability score) may be set for each individual. For example, a change in "character personality, etc.," which is a type of ability score, may result in an increase of 1 or more ability scores and / or a decrease of 1 or more ability scores for that character, as determined by the second ability score. In other words, the ability scores of each of the one or more abilities of a single character may be adjusted together based on personality, etc. Furthermore, personality, etc. may be set for each individual character. Therefore, if there are a first character and a second character of the same type, and the personalities of the first character and the second character are different, the ability scores of the first character (e.g., HP) and the ability scores of the second character (e.g., HP) may be different values. Also, for example, the case in which the ability scores of each of the one or more abilities of both the first character and the second character of the same type are the same will be explained. In this case, if the same amount of the fourth ability value described later is added to the ability value of one ability of the first character and the ability value of one ability of the second character, and the personalities, etc., of both characters are the same, the increase in the ability value of that ability will be the same for both characters. On the other hand, for example, if the personality, etc. set for the first character has the effect of increasing the ability value of that ability, and the personality, etc., set for the second character has the effect of decreasing or maintaining the ability value of that ability, then the ability value of the first character will be higher. Furthermore, if a character's ability value is at the maximum value determined based on the type and individual of that character, a flag indicating that the predetermined ability value is at its maximum may be associated with that character.

[0017] 4) Fourth ability score: A parameter value that changes depending on the battle. Based on the results of battles between characters, the values ​​of parameters added to a character's predetermined ability scores may be set. For example, if a character wins a battle against another character, the ability score of a predetermined ability of that character (which may be determined by the type of other character it battled) may be increased by a predetermined amount. Furthermore, a character's predetermined ability scores may be increased by a predetermined amount by consuming a predetermined item. Note that an upper limit (first upper limit) may be set on the total sum of the fourth ability scores that can be added to each of a character's one or more ability scores, and an upper limit (second upper limit) may also be set on the fourth ability scores that can be added to a character's ability score. In this case, the relationship first upper limit > second upper limit is satisfied.

[0018] As described above, the characters used in System 1 are assigned multiple ability scores, and increasing and / or decreasing these scores requires trial and error by the user to create a character with ability scores that the user considers advantageous in battle. In other words, the user must experiment to determine what kind of character a character will have by adjusting each of its abilities. Furthermore, since a character's abilities are adjusted by adjusting each of the multiple abilities set for that character, adjusting the abilities of even a single character requires a great deal of effort and time. In addition, since the game uses teams composed of multiple characters, the effort and time required to adjust each of those characters is also enormous.

[0019] For example, in a game, characters that can be used in the game may be added at predetermined intervals. In this case, the abilities of characters that were available in the game from the moment of its release may be more advantageous in battle than the abilities of newly added characters, or conversely, the abilities of characters that were available from the moment of the game's release may be more disadvantageous in battle than the abilities of newly added characters. Therefore, it may be necessary for users to retrain their characters to gain an advantage in competitive games. Also, when a team used by a user with a high win rate in a competitive game becomes widely known, other teams that are advantageous against that team will also become widely known. Therefore, when playing competitive games, users need to adjust the abilities of various characters over time to form a team, but as mentioned above, adjusting characters is not easy. Moreover, even if a user could simply rent a team composed of characters that another user has already adjusted, that user's team and the other user's team would be identical, so the user could not make their own team unique.

[0020] Therefore, the inventors considered various options and came up with the idea that if a user could adjust the ability values ​​of their character by referring to the ability values ​​of characters adjusted by other users, users could easily use characters with various ability values. As a result, they came up with the idea of ​​allowing one user to refer to a team that includes one or more characters already owned by other users who are different from the user playing the game, and allowing the ability values ​​of the character owned by one user to be rewritten with the ability values ​​of the characters that make up that team, on the condition that game points are consumed. They found that by making it rewritable, both users who are new to the game and users who have been playing the game for a long time can easily use characters that have been adjusted to different ability values ​​by other users, even if they are the same type of character, as their own character, and that it is possible to make adjustments to character ability values ​​more flexible by allowing users to adjust the ability values ​​of their own character to match the ability values ​​of characters that other users have raised. System 1 according to this embodiment is based on these findings.

[0021] <Overview of System 1 Configuration> Figure 1 shows an overview of the system according to this embodiment.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, System 1 according to this embodiment includes a server 3 that performs various game processes such as character battles in a virtual game space, and information terminals (for example, an information terminal 7 for the first user, an information terminal 7a for the second user, ... an information terminal 7n for the nth user, etc.) that receive input / output of various information related to game battles by users. Furthermore, System 1 may make characters owned by users in other systems available for use in System 1 from a server 4 of another system that can store characters that can also be used in System 1.

[0023] Server 3, one or more information terminals, and / or Server 4 are connected via a communication network 5 to enable bidirectional communication. Each information terminal has at least an input unit 110 that receives predetermined operations and instructions from the user, and an output unit 100 that outputs various processing results from Server 3 and / or Server 4.

[0024] In this embodiment, the specified game can be any type of competitive game, but in the following description, we will use a game battle in which characters compete against each other in a virtual game space as an example.

[0025] In System 1, Server 3 receives predetermined instructions from the user and performs actions such as setting up the character the user will use in the game, developing the character, and / or adjusting / modifying multiple types of character ability scores. In this case, System 1 may be a server-client type system. Alternatively, System 1 may have a predetermined program installed on the information terminal and perform game processing etc. while communicating with Server 3 as needed. Furthermore, in System 1, if the game program is installed on the information terminal, game processing etc. may be performed on the information terminal without communicating with Server 3. Also, System 1 may function as an extension of a predetermined website.

[0026] Although multiple information terminals used by different users may each be connected to the server 3 via the communication network 5, the following explanation will primarily describe an example where the first user's information terminal 7 is connected to the server 3 via the communication network 5 (other information terminals of other users different from the first user can also be connected to the server 3 via the communication network 5, and other users can use System 1 in the same way as the first user using other information terminals).

[0027] <Overview of character activation and training in System 1> First, we will explain the cases where the user does not possess a character to be used in a game run on System 1, and where the user does possess a character.

[0028] (If you do not have a user character) In this case, System 1 makes a character available to the user by lending it to the user for a predetermined period. System 1 outputs multiple characters to the output unit 100 of the information terminal 7 and makes the character selected by the user available to the user for a predetermined period based on the user's instructions (selection instructions). In this case, System 1 prohibits the user from adjusting / changing the character's ability values, etc., for the characters it has lent to the user. Then, based on the user's instructions, System 1 executes predetermined in-game missions and battles against other teams of other users (or NPCs) using a team that includes one or more characters lent to the user. System 1 may award a predetermined amount of game points to the user if certain conditions are met, such as logging into System 1, the user completing a mission, and / or the user's team winning a battle against another team.

[0029] (If you have a user character) For example, System 1 outputs one or more characters to the output unit 100 of the information terminal 7. Then, if a character is selected by the user and the user possesses more game points than the amount of game points associated with that character (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "required points" for acquiring the character), System 1 may consume the amount of game points (game points possessed by the user) that are the required points associated with that character and grant the character to the user (such granting may be indefinite). In this case, System 1 allows the user to adjust / change the character's ability values, etc., for the character granted to the user.

[0030] System 1, based on user instructions, adjusts the character's predetermined ability values, etc., and consumes a predetermined amount of game points determined based on the amount of adjustment, etc., to overwrite the character's ability values ​​with the adjusted ability values. As a result, the character assigned to the user will be assigned to the user with its ability values ​​changed from those at the time of assignment to the adjusted ability values ​​(this is referred to as "training" the character). System 1 forms a team containing one or more characters based on user instructions. Based on user instructions, System 1 enables the user to perform in-game missions using the team they have formed and to compete against other users' teams.

[0031] <Overview of how character abilities in System 1 are rewritten based on the abilities of other characters> System 1, when another user forms another team that includes one or more characters owned by that user, stores an ID (hereinafter referred to as "Team ID") that identifies that other team on Server 3 based on the instructions of that other user, and makes the Team ID public to users other than the other user. Users can refer to the Team ID made public by other users by searching for it on their own information terminal 7 or by obtaining it directly from other users. System 1 then accepts the input of the Team ID from the user via the input unit 110 of Information Terminal 7 and outputs information about each of the one or more characters that make up the other team, namely, each character's name, ability values, each character's skills, etc., to the output unit 100 of Information Terminal 7. Next, System 1 compares the types of one or more characters owned by the user with the types of one or more characters that make up the other team. Then, if there are characters of the same type as the user's characters (other characters) in the other team, System 1 makes it possible to overwrite the ability values ​​of the user's character of the same type (the user's own character) with the ability values ​​of the other character, based on the user's instructions. System 1 then confirms the rewrite by subtracting from the user's game points the amount of change in the ability score to be rewritten, that is, the difference between the user's own character's ability score before the rewrite and the ability score of other characters.

[0032] This allows users to overwrite (i.e., replace) the ability values ​​of their own character of the same type as those of characters in other teams, if such characters are present in other teams. Therefore, according to System 1, a user can refer to the ability values ​​of one or more characters in another team of a third-party user, and replace the character composition of their own team, and / or the ability values ​​of the characters they include in that team, with the character composition of the other team, and / or the ability values ​​of the characters in the other team, and then run the game. As a result, users can easily use teams assembled by other users using characters with adjusted ability values. Furthermore, users can adjust the ability values ​​of their own team's characters by referring to other users' other teams, without having to spend a great deal of time training their characters. Moreover, in System 1, it becomes possible to adjust the ability values ​​of characters that can be used in the game to the ability values ​​desired by the user, regardless of when the characters are introduced in the game.

[0033] The information terminal 7 is a device that can be operated by the user. The information terminal 7 may be, for example, a portable information terminal such as a mobile phone, smartphone, or tablet that is compatible with a mobile communication system. The information terminal 7 may also be, for example, a stationary personal computer (PC), laptop PC, notebook PC, portable game console, home game console (stationary game device), and / or a dedicated game console, or an information terminal / head-mounted display / AR glasses with augmented reality (AR) functionality. Furthermore, the communication network 5 is a mobile phone network and / or a communication network such as the Internet. The communication network 5 may also include communication networks such as wired LAN and wireless LAN. The details of the system 1 according to this embodiment will be described below, but it should be noted that the names and numerical values ​​in the above and below descriptions are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these proper names and numerical values, and these proper names and numerical values ​​are not necessarily related to actual proper names and numerical values.

[0034] <Details of System 1> Figure 2 shows an example of the functional configuration of the system according to this embodiment. Figure 3 also shows an example of the data configuration of each storage section in the storage unit according to this embodiment.

[0035] [System 1 Configuration] The system 1 according to this embodiment includes an output unit 100 that outputs various types of information, an output control unit 102 that controls the output of information to the output unit 100, an input unit 110 that receives input of various types of information, a control unit 120 that controls various processes in the system 1, a storage unit 130 that stores various types of information, an ability change unit 140 that rewrites the ability values ​​of characters, a point unit 150 that executes processes related to game points, and a communication unit 160 that communicates with external information devices, etc. The storage unit 130 has a user information storage unit 132 that stores information about the user and a character information storage unit 134 that stores information about the characters used in the game. The control unit 120 may have some or all of the functions of the ability change unit 140 and / or some or all of the functions of the point unit 150. In this embodiment, as an example, the case in which a smartphone or a home game device (portable game device or stationary game device) is the information terminal 7 will be mainly described.

[0036] System 1 may not only have the above-mentioned multiple components and / or functions physically in the same device or location, but some of the above-mentioned multiple components and / or functions may be installed in physically separate locations (which may be within Japan or outside Japan). In this case, each component may be connected by a communication network such as the Internet. For example, System 1 may have some of the functions of its components handled by an external server. System 1 may also be configured as one or more servers. In this case, System 1 is configured by combining an information terminal, and the components of one server and the components of other servers. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a set of predetermined components can be understood as a single "information processing device," and System 1 may be formed as a set of multiple information processing devices. The way in which the multiple functions required to realize System 1 according to this embodiment are distributed to one or more hardware can be appropriately determined in consideration of the processing capacity of each hardware and / or the specifications required for System 1. Furthermore, the information terminal may have some or all of the configuration and functions of Server 3. Furthermore, the various types of information stored in the storage unit 130 may be updated based on user instructions and information received via the input unit 110, or may be updated as needed by obtaining predetermined information from a predetermined server located outside the system 1.

[0037] [Details of System 1 configuration] In the following description, we will use the example where the information terminal 7 has at least the output unit 100 and the input unit 110, and the server 3 has the other components. The output control unit 102 may be owned by either the information terminal 7 or the server 3. The communication unit 160 may be owned by the server 3, but in this case, the information terminal 7 will have its own communication unit. Furthermore, the information terminal 7 may own some or all of the configuration and / or functions of the control unit 120 and / or storage unit 130 in the following description, or the server 3 may own them. The information terminal 7 can also connect to the server 3, other servers (not shown), and / or other information terminals (not shown) via the communication network 5 using wired and / or wireless communication, enabling bidirectional communication and the transmission and reception of predetermined data. The same applies to the server 3.

[0038] (Output unit 100, output control unit 102) The output control unit 102 is controlled by the control unit 120 and causes the output unit 100 to output various information related to the game being played in System 1. The output unit 100 outputs various processing results in System 1 and various information stored in the storage unit 130 in a way that is perceptible to the user. Specifically, the output control unit 102 causes the output unit 100 to output various processing results in each component and information stored in the storage unit 130 as data in a predetermined format, still images, moving images, and / or text and audio. The output control unit 102 may also cause the output unit 100 to output information received from an external server. Note that if the information terminal 7 is a smartphone or the like, the output unit 100 is the display unit of the information terminal 7. Also, if the information terminal 7 is a stationary game device, the output unit 100 may be a separate television monitor (such as an LCD monitor or an OLED display monitor) from the information terminal 7. Furthermore, if the information terminal 7 is a portable game device, the output unit 100 may be a monitor unit (such as an LCD monitor or an organic EL monitor) that is separate from or connectable to the information terminal 7. The output unit 100 may also include elements such as an audio output unit that outputs sound, a vibration unit that emits vibrations, and / or a light-emitting unit that emits light. In the following description, when the description of outputting predetermined information or outputting predetermined information to the output unit 100 refers to the control unit 120 controlling the output control unit 102 to output the predetermined information to the output unit 100, but for the sake of simplicity, the operation of the output control unit 102 will be omitted.

[0039] (Input section 110) The input unit 110 receives input such as predetermined instructions or operations from the user. The input unit 110 supplies the instructions to predetermined components of system 1. Each component that receives the instructions performs its predetermined function. For example, the input unit 110 is an input device for receiving operation input from the user (e.g., a touch panel, touchpad, pointing device such as a mouse, keyboard, motion sensor, game controller, microphone, etc.).

[0040] For example, if the information terminal 7 is a smartphone, the input unit 110 may be the touch panel of the smartphone. The touch panel may be capable of multi-touch detection. Specifically, the touch panel as the input unit 110 has an input surface into which user operations are input and an input control unit that acquires information about the operations input to the input surface. The touch panel is placed on top of the display unit of the information terminal 7, and the surface of the touch panel corresponds to the input surface. For example, the display unit of the information terminal 7 displays an area that accepts a predetermined instruction, and the input surface detects a predetermined instruction at a specified position by a user operation (e.g., touch operation, tap operation, swipe operation, etc.) on the area of ​​the input surface. The input surface supplies the detected information, that is, information indicating the predetermined instruction at the detected position, to the input control unit. The input control unit acquires the information indicating the predetermined instruction from the input surface and supplies this information to a predetermined component of the system 1.

[0041] Furthermore, if the information terminal 7 is a game device, the input unit 110 may be a controller (game controller) that includes buttons and the like for receiving various instructions from the user. In this case, for example, the controller is configured to have a vertically or horizontally shaped housing and to have a shape and size that allows it to be grasped in a vertically or horizontally oriented orientation. When the input unit 110 is a game controller, the system 1 has a predetermined input communication unit. The input communication unit is connected to the input unit 110 by wired or wireless communication, acquires various instructions from the user input to the input unit 110, and supplies the acquired instructions to the control unit 120. The control unit 120 executes predetermined controls according to the received instructions.

[0042] In this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, when a predetermined instruction or command is given by a predetermined operation / action of the user, such as "responding to user instructions," "based on user instructions," or "receiving user instructions," it refers to the instruction being acquired via the input unit 110.

[0043] (Control unit 120) The control unit 120 controls various game-related processes executed in System 1 based on predetermined instructions from the user received via the information terminal 7, predetermined information received from the server 3, and / or information stored in the storage unit 130. These processes may include, but are not limited to, the following. Further details regarding predetermined processes will be described later.

[0044] • Various processes based on various user input instructions for System 1. • User login / logout processing for System 1. • Registration process for user information to System 1. • Outputting information about one or more characters to the information terminal 7. • Lending and assigning characters to users. - The process of making a character stored as a user character on a server other than Server 3 available for use in a game related to System 1. - Processing to adjust the ability scores of characters owned by the user based on the user's instructions. • The process of forming a team using one or more characters owned by the user. • The process of issuing a team ID to identify the formed team. Based on the user's instructions, the process of publishing the team ID of the user's team on server 3. Based on the user's instructions, this process outputs information about the team corresponding to a team ID of a user other than the user in question to the user's information terminal 7. - A process that overwrites the ability scores and other attributes of a user's character with those of another user's character, and then sets that character as the user's character. • Processing the match between the first user's first team and the second user's second team. • Processing of rewards and game points awarded to users based on match results. Game points may not be directly purchased with in-game virtual currency or real-world currency. • Various processing related to in-game virtual currency. • A process that grants users specific items or other rewards in exchange for the consumption of in-game virtual currency. • The process of providing a predetermined subscription to a user. • Processing sales of specified items, etc., to users using real currency. Data communication processing between information terminal 7 and server 3 and / or other servers, and between server 3 and other servers. • Other various game processing.

[0045] (Storage unit 130) The storage unit 130 stores various programs executed on the information terminal 7 and / or the server 3, and / or various data used in those programs. Specifically, the storage unit 130 stores programs executed on system 1, various information supplied from each component of system 1, and / or various information related to games executed on system 1. The storage unit 130 supplies predetermined information to predetermined components in response to requests from other components of system 1. In the various IDs described below, if one ID is associated with another ID, and yet another ID is associated with yet another ID, predetermined information can be made available by tracing the IDs.

[0046] (Storage unit 130: User information storage unit 132) The user information storage unit 132 stores user information about the user, owned character information about the characters the user possesses, team information about the team the user has formed, owned item information about the items the user possesses, owned point information about the game points the user possesses, etc., associated with a user ID that identifies the user.

[0047] User information includes, for example, the user's name or title (nickname, etc.) and contact information (address, phone number, email address, SNS account ID, etc.). Character information includes, for example, information about the character associated with the character ID that identifies the character (character name, etc.) and information about the character's abilities (including the adjusted ability values ​​if they have been adjusted, and also information about the techniques the character can use).

[0048] Team information includes information about a team formed using one or more characters owned by the user, such as information about a slot that can be shown to the user that the team information is stored in (information indicating which of multiple slots the team is stored in), a team ID to identify the team, a team name, and information about one or more characters made up of that team (including various information such as character ID, character name, character abilities / ability scores, character personality, character characteristics, and / or character skills).

[0049] The item information includes details about the items the user possesses, such as an item ID to identify the item, the item name, the number of items owned, and a description of the item's effect. Items may include not only various in-game items but also in-game virtual currency and designated coupons. The point information includes details about the game points the user possesses, such as the amount of game points the user currently has and the amount of game points the user has spent. The point information may also include details about points (ability points) that can be added to at least one ability value of multiple abilities of the character the user owns.

[0050] (Storage unit 130: Character information storage unit 134) The character information storage unit 134 stores character information related to a character, associated with a character ID that identifies a character available for use in the game. The character information storage unit 134 can also store information about a character before it is assigned to a user, that is, information about a character in its default state before any adjustments to its ability scores have been made.

[0051] Information about a character may include the character's name, rarity, characteristics, image (including still and moving images), sound (such as the character's cries), and / or description (including descriptions of the character's attributes, skills, etc.).

[0052] Furthermore, character characteristics include, for example, character attributes, character gender (male, female, genderless, etc.), character personality, character skills / techniques, and / or various other parameters (for example, first ability score, second ability score, third ability score, and / or fourth ability score, etc.).

[0053] Furthermore, attributes are information assigned to a character, such as characteristics that a character possesses, which are set according to the character's type. Attributes are not particularly limited, but examples include attributes with names like fire, water, electric, and grass. A single character may have multiple attributes. Additionally, each "skill / technique" that a character knows may also have an attribute assigned to it. A character's skills and techniques are abilities that produce specific effects in battles against other characters. For example, specific effects from skills may include attacking the opponent, improving the character's abilities, or decreasing the opponent's character's abilities.

[0054] (Ability Modification Section 140) The ability modification unit 140 modifies or overwrites the ability values ​​and skills of characters owned by the user. The ability modification unit 140 modifies the ability values ​​of characters owned by the user based on the user's instructions. The ability modification unit 140 also makes it possible to overwrite the ability values ​​of a character owned by one user with the ability values ​​of another character owned by another user. Specifically, if the type of another character is the same as the type of a character owned by one user, the ability modification unit 140 overwrites the ability values ​​of that character with the ability values ​​of the other character. If a character has multiple types of ability values ​​set, the ability modification unit 140 overwrites some or all of the multiple types of ability values ​​with the corresponding ability values ​​of the other character. The ability modification unit 140 supplies information about the character whose ability values ​​have been modified or overwritten to the user information storage unit 132 and updates the user's owned character information. The ability modification unit 140 also supplies information about the change in the character's ability values ​​and information about the amount of change to the point unit 150.

[0055] (Point section 150) The points unit 150 grants game points to the user and consumes game points based on the user's predetermined instructions. The points unit 150 consumes the game points held by the user based on information received from the ability change unit 140 regarding changes in character ability values ​​and information regarding the amount of change. For example, if the ability change unit 140 changes one ability value of one of the user's characters by a predetermined amount, the points unit 150 consumes the user's game points by subtracting an amount of game points (consumed points) determined according to that predetermined amount from the game points held by the user (held points). The points unit 150 consumes game points determined based on the predetermined amount in both cases where one ability value decreases by a predetermined amount and where one ability value increases by a predetermined amount. Note that the points unit 150 may only consume game points determined based on the predetermined amount when one ability value increases by a predetermined amount (i.e., in this case, no game points are consumed when the ability value decreases).

[0056] Furthermore, if a character's skills, personality, and / or characteristics are changed, the points unit 150 may deduct an amount of game points from the user's game points, determined according to the type of skills, personality, and / or characteristics changed, the number of changes, etc. For example, if one of a character's skills is changed to another skill, the points unit 150 will deduct from the user's game points the consumption points associated with that skill, or the consumption points determined according to the number of skills changed (in this case, one).

[0057] The points unit 150 updates the game point information stored in the user information storage unit 132 to reflect the game points after deducting the consumed points when the user consumes game points. The ability change unit 140 may prohibit the change of a certain ability value of a character if the user does not possess the necessary game points to change that ability value by a predetermined amount.

[0058] (Communications Section 160) The communication unit 160 enables bidirectional communication between the information terminal 7 and predetermined components of the server 3 and / or other servers. The communication unit 160 supplies predetermined information from predetermined components of the server 3 and / or other servers to predetermined components of the information terminal 7 via a communication network such as the Internet. Note that the information terminal 7, server 3, and other servers may each have their own communication unit. Furthermore, when it is explained in this embodiment that one component acquires predetermined information from one server, etc., it means that the one component acquires the predetermined information by utilizing bidirectional communication performed between the communication unit of the component having that one component (such as an information terminal or server) and the communication unit of that server, etc.

[0059] [System 1 processing flow: From character scouting to training] Figure 4 shows an example of the processing flow in the system according to this embodiment. Figures 5 to 14 show an example of the transitions of the output screens in the system according to this embodiment.

[0060] In the following description, various processes are primarily executed by the control unit 120. The results of the processing by the control unit 120 are output to the output unit 100. That is, the control unit 120 outputs the results of various processes, such as scouting and training characters used in the game, to the output unit 100, based on the user's instructions. The user can then understand information related to the game based on the various information (e.g., image information, text information, audio information, etc.) output to the output unit 100 of the information terminal 7. Furthermore, in the following description, the various instructions and operations that the control unit 120 receives may be various instruction inputs received from the user via the input unit 110 unless otherwise specified, and the various information that is output may be information that is output to the output unit 100 of the information terminal 7.

[0061] First, after the user logs into the game on the information terminal 7, the control unit 120 outputs a predetermined menu screen to the output unit 100. For example, as shown in Figure 5(a), the control unit 120 outputs to the output unit 100 an icon 300 that accepts an instruction to execute a process to lend (rent) or grant a character that the user can use in the game (in the example of Figure 5(a), the text "Scout a character" is displayed), an icon 302 that accepts an instruction to execute a process to return a character owned by the user to a predetermined location in the virtual space within the game (in the example of Figure 5(a), the text "Return character" is displayed), an icon 304 that accepts an instruction to execute a process to make a character stored on another server (external character) that the user owns usable in the game on System 1 usable in the game on System 1 (in the example of Figure 5(a), the text "Accept character" is displayed), and / or an icon 306 that accepts an instruction to execute a process to make an external character that the user can use in the game on System 1 unusable in the game on System 1 (in the example of Figure 5(a), the text "Return character" is displayed). Furthermore, the control unit 120 may output a message 500 to the menu screen that provides the user with predetermined information (in the example in Figure 5(a), text is displayed to inform the user that they will be able to rent or be given a character from among several characters, such as "Lots of energetic characters are ready to go today!"). In addition, the control unit 120 outputs the game points the user currently possesses to a predetermined location on the output unit 100 (for example, the upper right corner) (in the example in Figure 5(a), the point display 400 shows that the user has "20,000" game points).

[0062] Next, the control unit 120 receives a selection instruction from the user for the icon 300 and outputs a screen 600 that introduces one or more characters that can be lent or assigned to the user, as shown in Figure 5(b). This causes the control unit 120 to start the character scouting process by the user (i.e., the process of lending or assigning a character to the user) (step 10. Hereafter, steps will be referred to as "S"). Here, the one or more characters that can be lent or assigned to the user may be included in a group determined based on a predetermined theme, etc. A predetermined screen 600 may be provided for each group. The control unit 120 receives a user instruction for the move icon 350 or move icon 352 output to the output unit 100 and outputs a different screen 600 for each theme, etc. (each group). Here, screen 600 may include an icon 310 that accepts instructions to present to the user one or more characters included in the theme group corresponding to screen 600 (in the example of Figure 5(b), it displays "Introduce me to the characters"), and an icon 312 that accepts instructions to output detailed information such as the names of one or more characters included in the group to the output unit 100 (in the example of Figure 5(b), it displays "Characters that appear").

[0063] Next, the control unit 120 receives instructions from the user regarding the icons 310 on the screen 600 of the theme selected by the user (selected theme), and starts the process of presenting the user with one or more characters included in the group corresponding to the selected theme (selected group). Specifically, as shown in Figure 6(a), the control unit 120 outputs a message 510 to the screen 602 in the output unit 100, along with information regarding the change in game points if the presentation is performed, to confirm whether or not to perform the character presentation on the condition that predetermined game points are consumed.

[0064] For example, the control unit 120 outputs a message 510 at the top of the screen 602 to confirm that points will be consumed to perform the scouting process (in the example in Figure 6(a), it displays "Would you like to use 200 points to have a character introduced?"), and below the message 510, it outputs an information display 700 that shows information including the time until one or more characters included in the selection group corresponding to the selected theme can be presented to the user next (in the example in Figure 6(a), next to the text display "Until a character can be introduced", a countdown is displayed showing the time until the scouting process for one or more characters included in the group can be performed next. In the example in Figure 6(a), the remaining time until the scouting process can be performed (21 hours and 50 minutes in the example) is displayed along with a bar display showing the passage of time). In other words, if a selection theme is selected by the user and one or more characters included in the selection group of that selection theme are lent or given to the user, the control unit 120 may prohibit the lending or giving of one or more characters included in the selection group to the user until a predetermined length of time has elapsed after such lending or giving.

[0065] In System 1, the system may make it possible to present one or more characters included in a selection group to the user in response to the consumption of a predetermined coupon and / or a predetermined amount of game points. Specifically, the control unit 120 outputs the amount of coupons required to present one or more characters from the selection group to the user and the amount of change therein, as well as the amount of game points required to present one or more characters from the selection group to the user and the amount of change therein, as information displays 702 and 704, respectively, on screen 602. If the user has a predetermined coupon, the control unit 120 presents one or more characters to the user in response to the consumption of the coupon. The control unit 120 can also present one or more characters to the user by having the user consume a predetermined amount of game points required for introducing the characters from the game points the user possesses (if the game points the user possesses are less than the predetermined amount of game points, the presentation of characters to the user is prohibited). If the user does not have a predetermined coupon, the control unit 120 displays information on screen 602 indicating that the user does not have a coupon. In the example shown in Figure 6(a), information display 706 is output below information display 704, containing information indicating that the user does not have a coupon (in the example shown in Figure 6(a), the text "No usable tickets" is displayed as information display 706).

[0066] In System 1, the ability values ​​(hereinafter simply referred to as "abilities") of one or more ability types for one or more characters presented to the user may be predetermined or determined by lottery. Here, the lottery is performed by consuming a predetermined amount of game points, and these game points are the same as the game points consumed in adjusting the character's abilities. For example, System 1 makes one character selectable from one or more characters in a selection group (or a group containing one or more characters, i.e., a lottery pool) based on the user's instructions, or assigns one character to the user by lottery from the selection group. Here, the abilities of one or more characters may be predetermined. Alternatively, one character and the abilities of that character may be determined at the time the lottery is performed based on the user's instructions.

[0067] Furthermore, even if the abilities of one or more characters are predetermined, a single lottery pool can include characters of the same type but with different abilities. System 1 then makes these multiple characters available for selection through the lottery. For example, suppose a first character and a second character of the same type are included in the lottery pool, and the first ability of the first character is adjusted to be higher than the first ability of the second character, and the second ability of the second character is adjusted to be higher than the second ability of the first character. In this case, based on the user's instructions, System 1 makes it possible to assign one character to the user through the lottery from that single lottery pool. Therefore, both the first character and the second character may be available for selection through the lottery. Note that even if a single lottery pool contains multiple characters of the same type during a predetermined period (such as a predetermined event period), System 1 may make only one of those characters available for selection from that single lottery pool during that predetermined period. In other words, it may be possible to make it easier to select a character with a specific ability that has been adjusted accordingly.

[0068] Furthermore, if multiple draw pools are set up, System 1 may make the user able to refer to the abilities of one or more characters included in each draw pool (this may be done by outputting to the output unit 100). This allows the user to consider which character to acquire if the same type of character is included in one draw pool and another, but the abilities of the characters in one draw pool differ from those of the characters in the other draw pools, and then select a draw pool. In System 1, the user can adjust the abilities of a character after acquiring it, but considering the effort involved in adjusting the abilities and the amount of game points required to do so, the user can consider which draw pool to acquire the desired character from. For example, System 1 can set up multiple lottery pools simultaneously, each containing characters of the same type (however, each character has different abilities), or it can set up one lottery pool at one time and another lottery pool at the next time (each lottery pool may contain characters of the same type, but with different abilities). The user can then choose at what timing to try to acquire the desired character from these multiple lottery pools.

[0069] This allows System 1 to provide users with the interest of knowing what kind of abilities they can acquire as characters, and also increases the variety of character draws. Furthermore, since the game points used for character draws are the same as those used for adjusting character abilities, users can strategize whether to use game points to acquire new characters or to adjust the abilities of characters they already own.

[0070] The control unit 120 may, based on the user's choice, decide whether the user should use a predetermined coupon or a predetermined amount of game points if the user possesses both a predetermined coupon and a predetermined amount of game points. Alternatively, if the user possesses a predetermined coupon, the control unit 120 may prioritize the use of the coupon, even if the user possesses both a predetermined amount of game points. Or, if the user possesses both a predetermined amount of game points, the control unit 120 may prioritize the use of the game points, even if the user possesses both a predetermined coupon. The control unit 120 may also set a period during which the coupon can be used. For example, if a predetermined event period is set, the system 1 may grant the user a coupon that can only be used during that event period.

[0071] When the control unit 120 receives a selection instruction from the user for the "No icon 360" displayed on screen 602, it stops introducing the characters in the selection group to the user and outputs screen 600 to the output unit 100. In other words, it outputs screen 600, which introduces one or more characters that can be lent or assigned to the user, to the output unit 100 again (in other words, it returns to the process immediately preceding the process in which screen 602 is output). On the other hand, when the control unit 120 receives a selection instruction from the user for the "Yes icon 362" displayed on screen 602, it outputs one or more characters included in the selection group to the output unit 100. In this case, the points unit 150 subtracts the amount of game points required to output one or more characters included in the selection group to the output unit 100 from the game points held by the user, and stores the subtracted game points in the user information storage unit 132 (this reduces the game points held by the user, and the point information stored in the user information storage unit 132 is updated with the reduced game points). In the example in Figure 6(a), message 510 contains information indicating that the game points required to present one or more characters from the selection group to the user are "200 points," and information display 704 indicates that the game points the user possesses will decrease by the amount of points required to present the characters (in the example in Figure 6(a), information display 704 indicates that the user possesses "20,000" game points, and after the points required for presentation are deducted, it will change to "19,800" points).

[0072] Then, based on the user's selection instruction for the "yes icon 362", the control unit 120 outputs the character selected by the user from among the one or more characters included in the selection group to the output unit 100, as shown in Figure 6(b). For example, the control unit 120 arranges the character icons of one or more characters included in the selection group below the output unit 100. In the example in Figure 6(b), the character icon 850 of character 900 is placed on the far left, and the character icons 852 of other characters are arranged next to the character icon 850. The control unit 120 outputs the character icons of one or more characters in a row below the output unit 100. Then, the control unit 120 receives a selection instruction from the user for one character icon and outputs information about the character corresponding to that character icon to the output unit 100. For example, when the user selects a character icon, the control unit 120 outputs an image of the character corresponding to that character icon (an image larger than the image shown on the character icon) near the center of the output unit 100, and outputs information such as the name and type of the character near the upper left of the output unit 100.

[0073] As an example, Figure 6(b) shows an example where the user has selected character icon 850. In this case, the control unit 120 outputs an image of character 900 corresponding to character icon 850 near the center of the output unit 100, and outputs the character name 800 and the type display 810 of character 900 near the upper left of the output unit 100. The control unit 120 may also display a character count display 410 indicating the number of characters the user currently possesses (in the example of Figure 6(b), it displays "0 / 30" to indicate that the user does not yet possess any characters and the total number of characters the user can possess is 30), and a point display 400 in a predetermined area of ​​the output unit 100 (for example, the upper right area).

[0074] Next, the control unit 120 decides, based on the user's selection, whether to lend or grant the character selected by the user to the user. Specifically, the control unit 120 accepts the user's choice to either lend or grant the character selected by the user (hereinafter, lending or granting a character to a user may be referred to as "scouting"). For example, when the user selects a character, the control unit 120 outputs a screen 604 to the output unit 100 for selecting the scouting method, as shown in Figure 7(a). As an example, the control unit 120 outputs a message 520 prompting the user to select a scouting method (in the example of Figure 7(a), the text "Which method would you like to scout?" is displayed) along with a selection button 710 to select to receive the character on loan and a selection button 712 to select to receive the character on loan (i.e., acquire it for the user) on screen 604 (S12).

[0075] In this embodiment, lending a character to a user is referred to as "Trial Scouting." When a user selects Trial Scouting for a character they have chosen, the control unit 120 makes that character available to the user in the game for a predetermined period. In this case, the control unit 120 lends the character to the user without consuming any game points. In the example in Figure 7(a), the predetermined period is "7 days," and the fact that no game points are consumed is indicated within the selection button 710 (text such as "Expiration Date: 7 days" and "Usage Points: 0P" is output).

[0076] On the other hand, granting a character to a user is called "Regular Scouting." If a user selects Regular Scouting for a character they have chosen, the control unit 120 makes that character available to the user indefinitely in the game. In this case, the control unit 120 grants the character to the user in exchange for the consumption of a predetermined amount of game points. In the example in Figure 7(a), the selection button 712 displays that the user can use the character indefinitely and that the consumption of a predetermined amount of game points is required (text such as "No Expiration Date" and "Use Points 1000P" is output). The control unit 120 can also display a "Close Icon 364" on screen 604, and if the user does not select either selection button 710 or selection button 712, it can receive a user instruction for the Close Icon 364 and execute a process that returns to the previous process on screen 604 (i.e., the process on the screen where the user selects a character icon).

[0077] When the control unit 120 receives a command from the user via the selection button 710 (a command to select a trial scout), it lends the character selected by the user to the user for a predetermined period without consuming game points (S16). On the other hand, when the control unit 120 receives a command from the user via the selection button 712 (a command to select a regular scout), it grants the character selected by the user to the user by consuming a predetermined amount of game points (S14). Specifically, when the control unit 120 receives a command from the user via the selection button 712, it outputs a message 530 to the output unit 100, as shown in Figure 7(b), confirming whether or not to perform a regular scout (in the example in Figure 7(b), the text "Do you want to regularly scout character A?" is displayed), along with a screen 606 that includes a point change display 402 showing the change in the game points the user possesses. Furthermore, the control unit 120 outputs a "yes icon 362" on the screen 606 to accept an instruction to execute a regular scout, and a "no icon 360" to accept an instruction to cancel the execution of a regular scout.

[0078] If the control unit 120 receives a "no" icon 360 instruction from the user, it cancels assigning the character to the user (after the cancellation process, it may return to the process that outputs screen 604, which is the process immediately preceding the process that outputs screen 606). On the other hand, if the control unit 120 receives a "yes" icon 362 instruction from the user, it performs the assignment of the character to the user. For example, as shown in Figure 8(a), the control unit 120 causes the output unit 100 to output screen 608, which includes a message 540 notifying the user that the character selected by the user has been assigned to the user (in the example in Figure 8(a), the text "Character A has been scouted as a regular!" is displayed). The control unit 120 can assign the character to the user by associating the character ID of the character with the user ID. Furthermore, the control unit 120 stores the remaining game points obtained by subtracting the game points used to perform a regular scout from the user's existing game points as the user's new game points in the user information storage unit 132, and also updates the display of the points display 400 to the new game point value (the points display 400 is updated in conjunction with the user's consumption of game points).

[0079] The control unit 120 stores information about the character lent to the user or assigned to the user (for example, the character's ID) in the user information storage unit 132 as one of the owned character information. When the control unit 120 lends a character to a user, it associates the lending period with the character's ID, and when the lending period has elapsed, it either deletes the owned character information or associates a flag indicating that the lent character corresponding to the owned character information is unusable in the game.

[0080] Furthermore, the control unit 120 outputs the following icons on screen 608: an icon 370 that accepts instructions to perform training on the character assigned to the user (i.e., the process of adjusting the character's ability values, etc.) (in the example of Figure 8(a), the text "Training" is displayed); an icon 372 that accepts instructions to output a list of characters that the user has acquired through lending or assignment to the output unit 100 (in the example of Figure 8(a), the text "Box" is displayed); and / or an icon 374 that accepts instructions to select a character of the user's choice (in the example of Figure 8(a), the text "Select" is displayed) (S18). Then, in response to the user's instructions on icon 370, the control unit 120 starts the training process for the character assigned to the user (Yes in S18). The control unit 120 may prohibit training on characters that have been lent to the user.

[0081] Specifically, as shown in Figure 8(b), the control unit 120 causes the output unit 100 to output various information regarding the abilities of the character that the user has decided to train. The control unit 120 outputs to the output unit 100 the names of one or more ability types of the character, the ability values ​​of each ability type, elements that can correct the character's ability values, the character's techniques, and / or the character's characteristics, each of which is associated with a predetermined title. The one or more ability types of the character, the ability values ​​of each ability type, elements that can correct the character's ability values, the character's techniques, and / or the character's characteristics are parameters that affect the progress and results of matches in the game.

[0082] (Character's ability type: Primary ability score) The control unit 120 causes the output unit 100 to output the names of one or more ability types whose ability values ​​can be changed by increasing or decreasing predetermined points (ability points), and the values ​​(ability values) of each ability type before training (i.e., before adjustment processing of ability values, etc.). In the example in Figure 8(b), the text "Ability Points 66 / 66" is displayed as the title 720 indicating a predetermined group of ability types, and below the title 720, ability buttons for one or more ability types are output (for example, ability button 750, etc.). As an example, one or more ability types could be HP, Attack, Defense, etc., and each of these ability types is provided with an ability button.

[0083] In System 1, ability points can be added to the ability scores of each of a character's multiple ability types. There is an upper limit to the ability points that can be applied to a character, and also an upper limit to the ability points that can be added to a single ability type. Furthermore, the minimum value for each ability type of a character is predetermined depending on the type of character (for example, predetermined as the second ability score).

[0084] For example, Figure 8(b) shows an example where a character has a total of "66" ability points that can be applied to one ability type, and the maximum number of ability points that can be added to one ability type is "32". In the example in Figure 8(b), the current value of ability type "Parameter 1" is "175", and "32" ability points have already been added to "Parameter 1" (the number on the left in Ability Button 750 is the current value of the ability, and the number on the right is the number of ability points added to the minimum value of "Parameter 1" for a character. The same applies to other ability types). Similarly, the current value of ability type "Parameter 4" is "194", and "32" ability points have already been added to "Parameter 4", and the current value of ability type "Parameter 5" is "137", and "2" ability points have already been added to "Parameter 5". Furthermore, the current values ​​for ability type "Parameter 2" are "76", ability type "Parameter 3" are "85", and ability type "Parameter 6" are "100", indicating that no ability points have been added to these ability types.

[0085] The control unit 120 then outputs the total value of ability points applicable to a character and the total value of ability points currently applied to a character within the title 720, for example, in the format "Applied ability points / Total value of applicable ability points". In the example in Figure 8(b), all ability points have already been assigned to the character, so the notation "66 / 66" is output within the title 720.

[0086] Furthermore, the control unit 120 grants a predetermined amount of points (ability points) required to change the character's ability values ​​to each of the one or more characters owned by the user, without any particular restrictions (i.e., as long as the user acquires a character). The control unit 120 may also grant ability points to the user based on the user logging into the game, completing a predetermined mission, and / or engaging in battles between characters. The control unit 120 stores information regarding the ability points granted to the user in the user information storage unit 132, as one of the points owned information, associated with the user ID.

[0087] (Elements that can be used to adjust character ability scores: Third ability score) The control unit 120 causes the output unit 100 to output ability buttons 752, which allow the user to select an element that can adjust each of the character's ability values ​​for one or more ability types. In the example in Figure 8(b), the title 722 displays the text "Ability Adjustment" to indicate that ability values ​​can be adjusted, and below the title 722, ability buttons 752 are output to select an element that can adjust each of the character's ability values ​​for one or more ability types. One example of such an element is the character's "personality." The ability button 752 displays the name of the personality currently applied to the character (in the example in Figure 8(b), the text "Personality C" is displayed, indicating that the character's current personality is "Personality C").

[0088] (Character's skills) The control unit 120 causes the output unit 100 to output one or more ability buttons (for example, ability button 754) that allow the character to select one or more of the character's techniques (techniques that the character can use in a match within the game). In the example in Figure 8(b), the text "Technique" is displayed as the title 724, which indicates the techniques the character can use, and below the title 724, ability buttons containing the names of one or more techniques are output (in the example in Figure 8(b), it is shown that "Technique G", "Technique A", "Technique R", and "Technique D" are currently applied to the character).

[0089] (Character traits) The control unit 120 causes the output unit 100 to output ability buttons 756 that allow the selection of character traits (special effects that are automatically or passively activated during in-game battles or when predetermined conditions are met). In the example in Figure 8(b), the text "Traits" is displayed as the title 726 indicating the traits applicable to the character, and below the title 726, ability buttons 756 containing the name of the trait are output (in the example in Figure 8(b), the text "Trait A" is displayed, indicating that the current character trait is "Trait A").

[0090] The control unit 120 outputs an icon 380 to a predetermined location on the output unit 100 (for example, the lower right area) that accepts an instruction to change the character's ability values ​​after the user has set the adjustments to the character's ability values. Here, changing the character's ability values ​​requires the consumption of a predetermined amount of game points. The control unit 120 outputs the amount of game points required to change the character's ability values, determined by the user's adjustments, as a required points display 420 within the icon 380, for example. In the example in Figure 8(b), the user has not yet adjusted the character's ability values, so the required points display 420 is shown as "0".

[0091] (User-controlled adjustments to character abilities: Character ability types) Next, the control unit 120 adjusts the character's abilities based on user instructions (S20). Based on the user's selection instruction for one ability button, the control unit 120 displays a screen in which the ability value of the ability type corresponding to that ability button can be adjusted. The control unit 120 then accepts the user's instruction to adjust the ability points on the screen and adjusts the ability value of that ability type. The control unit 120 does not require the user to spend game points for adjustment instructions that decrease the ability value of an ability type, but requests the user to spend an amount of game points determined according to the increase in the ability value for adjustment instructions that increase the ability value.

[0092] For example, the control unit 120 receives a user selection instruction for the ability button 750 and outputs a screen 610 in a predetermined area of ​​the output unit 100 that allows adjustment of the ability value of the ability type (in this case, "first parameter") corresponding to the ability button 750, as shown in Figure 9(a). The screen 610 displays a message 550 prompting the user to adjust the ability value (in the example of Figure 9(a), the text "Move the gauge to adjust the ability points" is displayed), an ability value display 760 showing the current ability value of the ability type (in the example of Figure 9(a), the text "First Parameter," which is the name of the ability type, is displayed along with the numerical value "160" indicating the ability value being adjusted), and a total ability point display 770 showing the value of ability points added to the ability value (in the example of Figure 9(a), the total number of ability points x added to each ability value during ability value adjustment, which changes based on the user's adjustment, is displayed in the format "x / 66". The denominator of this display is the total value of ability points that can be assigned to the character. ) The control unit 120 also includes a gauge 860 that shows the adjustments to the ability values ​​(in the example in Figure 9(a), the number of ability points y added to the ability value of the ability type being adjusted is displayed within the display area of ​​the gauge 860. The value of y increases or decreases in accordance with the adjustment during the ability value adjustment. Figure 9(a) shows an example of the moment when y becomes "17" during the ability value adjustment), an adjustment button 354 that accepts instructions to decrease the ability value, an adjustment button 356 that accepts instructions to increase the ability value, an icon 392 that accepts instructions to confirm the adjustments to the ability value, and a required points display 422 that is displayed overlaid on the icon 392 and shows the number of game points required to perform the ability value adjustment (in the example in Figure 9(a), an adjustment to decrease the ability value is performed, so the number of game points required to perform the adjustment is "0"). The control unit 120 also causes the output unit 100 to output a cancel icon 390 that accepts cancellation of the ability value adjustment for an ability type.

[0093] Figure 9(a) shows the process in which the control unit 120 receives an instruction from the user to the adjustment button 354 (an instruction to reduce the ability points added to the ability type "First Parameter") and reduces the ability value before the instruction was received to a predetermined standard value for the character. In other words, suppose the ability value of the ability type "First Parameter" before adjustment was "175" (however, the minimum value based on the character type is "143", to which ability points "32" were added), and the ability points added were reduced to "0" based on the user's instruction. In this case, the control unit 120 decreases and displays the total number of ability points x in the total ability point display 770, the number of ability points y in the gauge 860, the value of applied ability points in the title 720, and the current ability value and the value of added ability points in the ability button 750 in conjunction with the user's instruction. In the example in Figure 9(a), it shows the timing when the ability points "32" that were added to the minimum value of the ability type "First Parameter" have been reduced to "17".

[0094] After receiving a user's instruction to adjust the ability value of an ability type via the icon 392, the control unit 120 makes it possible to receive adjustments to the ability values ​​of one or more other ability types, including the said ability type.

[0095] For example, the control unit 120 receives a user selection instruction for the ability button 751 and outputs a screen 610 in a predetermined area of ​​the output unit 100 that accepts adjustment of the ability value of the ability type (in this case, "6th parameter") corresponding to the ability button 751, as shown in Figure 9(b). The screen 610 includes, as described above, a message 550, an ability value display 762 showing the current ability value of the ability type (in the example of Figure 9(b), the text "6th parameter," which is the name of the ability type, is displayed along with the numerical value "132" indicating the ability value being adjusted), a total ability point display 770, a gauge 860, adjustment buttons 354 and 356, an icon 392 that accepts an instruction to confirm the content of the ability value adjustment, and a required points display 424 superimposed on the icon 392, which shows the number of game points required to perform the ability value adjustment (in the example of Figure 9(b), since an adjustment to increase the ability value is performed, "64P" is shown as the number of game points required for the increase).

[0096] Figure 9(b) shows the process in which the control unit 120 receives an instruction from the user to the adjustment button 356 (an instruction to add ability points to ability type "6th parameter") and increases the ability value before the instruction was received from a predetermined base value for the character in accordance with the addition of ability points. Specifically, suppose the ability value of ability type "6th parameter" before adjustment was "100" (however, the minimum value based on the character type is "100", and no ability points had been added to this value), and the ability points added based on the user's instruction were increased to "32". In this case, the control unit 120 increases and displays the total number of ability points x in the total ability point display 770, the number of ability points y in the gauge 860, the value of applied ability points in the title 720, the current ability value in the ability button 751, and the value of the added ability points in conjunction with the user's instruction. The example in Figure 9(b) shows the timing when the minimum value of ability type "6th parameter" is increased by adding the ability points "32".

[0097] The control unit 120 receives adjustment instructions and adjustment decision instructions from the user for each ability type's ability value in the same manner as described above. If there is an ability type for which an adjustment instruction to increase the ability value has been decided (an ability type for which an increase has been decided), the control unit 120 displays the number of game points required to increase the ability value of that ability type as a required points display near the ability button of that ability type. For example, as shown in Figure 10(a), the amount of game points consumed, which is determined according to the increase in the ability value of ability type "6th parameter" (the number of ability points added), is displayed as a required points display 426 near the ability button 751. In addition, the control unit 120, in conjunction with the user's decision to adjust the character's ability values, outputs the game points required to change the character's ability values ​​as a required points display 420 within the icon 380 (in the example in Figure 10(a), the user has adjusted the character's ability type "6th parameter," so the required points display 420 for reflecting that adjustment in the character's ability is shown as "64P").

[0098] (Character ability adjustments: Elements that allow for adjustments to a character's ability scores) Furthermore, the control unit 120 accepts the selection of elements that can be used to correct the ability values ​​of one or more ability types of the character (ability correction) based on instructions from the user. That is, based on the user's selection instructions for the ability button 752 output below the ability correction title 722, the control unit 120 displays a screen in which the user can select elements to correct the ability values ​​of one or more ability types of the character (hereinafter, these elements will be referred to as "personality").

[0099] For example, the control unit 120 receives a selection instruction from the user for the ability button 752 and outputs a selection table 780 to the output unit 100, which allows the user to select one or more personalities that can be set for a character, as shown in Figure 10(b). The output unit 100, which outputs the selection table 780, also outputs a message 560 prompting the user to select a personality (in the example in Figure 10(b), the text "Please select an ability correction" is displayed), a cancel icon 390 to cancel the personality selection, an icon 394 to receive an instruction to decide whether to apply the personality selected by the user to the character, and a required points display 428 that shows the number of game points required to apply the personality selected by the user to the character. The control unit 120 then identifies the personality to be applied to the character from the multiple personalities output in the selection table 780 based on the user's selection instruction. The control unit 120 receives a decision instruction from the user for the icon 394 and decides that the one personality selected by the user will be applied to the character. The control unit 120 displays the number of game points required to apply the user-selected personality to the character as a required points display 428 near the icon 394 (in the example in Figure 10(b), it is shown that the number of game points consumed in applying the personality to the character is "200P").

[0100] The effects that determine personality include, for example, the following: When a personality is applied to a character, the ability score of one or more ability types of that character increases and / or decreases. For example, when a personality is applied to a character, the ability score of the first parameter increases and the ability score of the second parameter decreases, or the ability score of the first parameter increases and the ability score of the first parameter decreases (in this case, the increase and decrease effects cancel each other out, resulting in either no change in the ability score of the first ability type or an increase or decrease in the ability score depending on the difference between the increase and decrease effects). For example, in the example in Figure 10(b), a character to whom "Personality B" is applied will have an increase in the ability score of the "Third Parameter" and a decrease in the ability score of the "Second Parameter". The same applies to other personalities.

[0101] The control unit 120 then displays the number of game points required for the change as a required points display 430 near the ability button 752 when there is a change in ability correction. For example, as shown in Figure 11(a), the amount of game points consumed determined according to the change in personality (in this case, a change from "Personality C" to "Personality E") is displayed as a required points display 430 near the ability button 752. The control unit 120 also outputs a predetermined mark to the ability button corresponding to the ability type whose ability value has changed according to the user's decision to change the character's personality. For example, the control unit 120 outputs an increase mark to the ability button of an ability type whose ability value has increased according to the change in personality (see, for example, ability button 759 in Figure 11(a)), and a decrease mark to the ability button of an ability type whose ability value has decreased (see, for example, ability button 758 in Figure 11(a)). Furthermore, the control unit 120, in conjunction with the user's decision to change the character's personality, outputs the game points required to change the character's ability values, etc., as a required point display 420 within the icon 380 (in the example in Figure 11(a), the user has changed the character's personality in addition to adjusting the character's ability types, so the required point display 420 for reflecting these adjustments and changes is shown as "264P").

[0102] (Adjusting character abilities) Furthermore, the control unit 120 accepts the selection or modification of one or more techniques of a character based on instructions from the user. Specifically, based on the user's selection instructions for one or more ability buttons (for example, ability button 754, etc.) output below the "technique" title 724, the control unit 120 displays a screen that allows the user to change the selected character's technique to another technique or delete (remove) it.

[0103] For example, the control unit 120 receives a user selection instruction for the ability button 754 and outputs a technique button (technique button 790, etc.) to the output unit 100, which allows the user to select one or more techniques that can be set for the character, as shown in Figure 11(b). The output unit 100, which outputs the technique buttons, outputs a message 570 prompting the user to select a technique (in the example in Figure 11(b), the text "Please select a technique to teach" is displayed), a cancel icon 390 to cancel the selection / change of a technique, an icon 396 that accepts an instruction to decide whether to apply or not to the technique selected by the user to the character, and a required points display 432 that shows the number of game points required to apply the technique selected by the user to the character.

[0104] Furthermore, when the control unit 120 receives a selection instruction from the user for one of the technique buttons, it outputs information about the technique corresponding to that technique button to the information display area 870. The information display area 870 outputs information such as the classification, power, hit rate, and / or range of effect of the technique selected by the user in the form of text. The control unit 120 then identifies the technique to be applied to the character based on the user's selection instruction from one or more technique buttons output to the output unit 100. The control unit 120 receives a confirmation instruction from the user for the icon 396 and decides that the technique selected by the user will be applied to the character. In this case, the control unit 120 changes the technique corresponding to the ability button selected by the user to the technique corresponding to the technique button selected by the user.

[0105] For example, Figures 11(a), 11(b), and 12(a) show an example of changing a move associated with a character before adjustment (e.g., "Move G") to another move (e.g., "Move E") based on user instructions. First, the control unit 120 receives a selection instruction from the user for the ability button 754 corresponding to the move they wish to change (see Figure 11(a)). Next, the control unit 120 outputs a move button (move button 790, move button 792, etc.) corresponding to one or more moves applicable to the character to the output unit 100 (see Figure 11(b)). In the example in Figure 11(b), the state in which move button 792 corresponding to "Move G" (the move selected by the user), one of the moves applied to the character before adjustment, is selected is shown.

[0106] Here, if the control unit 120 chooses to remove a technique applied to a character rather than change it to another technique, it can remove the technique from the character without consuming game points, based on the user's instruction. In this case, the control unit 120 removes the technique applied to the character based on the user's instruction to the icon 396 (which displays the text "Forget" in the example of Figure 11(b)). (In this case, the number of game points consumed is "0", so the required points display 432 shown near the icon 396 will be "0P".)

[0107] On the other hand, suppose we want to change "Technique G" to another technique, "Technique E". In this case, as shown in Figure 12(a), the control unit 120 accepts the change from the technique (Technique G) applied to the character to another technique (Technique E) based on the user's instruction to the technique button 794 (the technique button associated with "Technique E"). That is, with the technique button 794 selected based on the user's instruction, the control unit 120 decides to change the technique (Technique G) applied to the character to another technique (Technique E) based on the user's instruction to the icon 398 (in the example in Figure 12(a), the text "Confirm" is displayed). The control unit 120 displays the number of game points required to apply the technique selected by the user to the character as a required points display 432 near the icon 398 (in the example in Figure 12(a), it is shown that the number of game points consumed in applying the technique to the character is "100P"). If multiple techniques are associated with a character, the control unit 120, based on user instructions as described above, enables the modification of each of the techniques or exclusion of a technique from being applied to the character.

[0108] The control unit 120 then displays the number of game points required for a change in a technique as a required points display 434 near the ability button 754. For example, as shown in Figure 12(b), the amount of game points consumed determined by the change in a technique (in this case, a change from "Technique G" to "Technique E") is displayed as a required points display 434 near the ability button 754. The control unit 120 also outputs the number of game points required for changing the character's ability values, etc., as a required points display 420 within the icon 380, in conjunction with the user's decision to change the character's technique (in the example in Figure 12(b), the user has adjusted the character's ability type, changed its personality, and changed its technique, so the required points display 420 for these changes is shown as "364P").

[0109] (Adjusting character traits) Furthermore, the control unit 120 accepts changes to the character's characteristics based on user instructions. Specifically, based on the user's selection instructions for the ability buttons (for example, ability button 756) displayed below the "Characteristics" title 726, the control unit 120 displays a screen that allows the user to change the selected character's characteristics to other characteristics.

[0110] For example, the control unit 120 receives a user selection instruction for the ability button 756 and outputs a characteristic button (such as the characteristic button 880) to the output unit 100, which allows the user to select one or more characteristics that can be set for a character, as shown in Figure 13(a). The output unit 100, which outputs the characteristic button, outputs a message 580 prompting the user to select a characteristic (in the example in Figure 13(a), the text "Please select a characteristic" is displayed), a cancel icon 390 to cancel the selection of a characteristic, an icon 399 to receive an instruction to decide whether to apply the characteristic selected by the user to the character, and a required points display 436 that shows the number of game points required to apply the characteristic selected by the user to the character.

[0111] Furthermore, when the control unit 120 receives a selection instruction from the user for one characteristic button, it outputs information about the characteristic corresponding to that characteristic button to the information display area 872. The information display area 872 outputs information such as the effect of the characteristic selected by the user in text format. The control unit 120 then identifies one characteristic to be applied to the character based on the user's selection instruction from one or more characteristic buttons output to the output unit 100. The control unit 120 receives a decision instruction from the user for the icon 399 and decides that the characteristic selected by the user will be applied to the character. In this case, the control unit 120 changes the characteristic corresponding to the ability button selected by the user to the characteristic corresponding to the characteristic button selected by the user.

[0112] For example, Figures 12(b), 13(a), and 13(b) show an example of changing a characteristic associated with a character before adjustment (e.g., "Characteristic A") to another characteristic (e.g., "Characteristic B") based on user instructions. First, the control unit 120 receives a selection instruction for the ability button 756 if the user wishes to change the characteristic (see Figure 12(b)). Next, the control unit 120 outputs a characteristic button (e.g., characteristic button 880) corresponding to one or more characteristics applicable to the character to the output unit 100 (see Figure 13(a)).

[0113] Here, let's assume that we want to change the characteristic "Characteristic A" that is applied to the character before adjustment to another characteristic, "Characteristic B". In this case, as shown in Figure 13(a), the control unit 120 accepts the change from the characteristic (Characteristic A) applied to the character to another characteristic (Characteristic B) based on the user's instruction to the characteristic button 880 (the technique button associated with "Characteristic B"). That is, with the characteristic button 880 selected based on the user's instruction, the control unit 120 decides to change the characteristic (Characteristic A) applied to the character to another technique (Characteristic B) based on the user's instruction to the icon 399 (in the example in Figure 13(a), the text "Confirm" is displayed). The control unit 120 displays the number of game points required to apply the user-selected characteristic to the character as a required points display 436 near the icon 399 (in the example in Figure 13(a), it is shown that the number of game points consumed in applying the characteristic to the character is "400P").

[0114] The control unit 120 then displays the number of game points required for any change in characteristics as a required points display 438 near the ability button 756. For example, as shown in Figure 13(b), the amount of game points consumed determined by the change in characteristics (in this case, a change from "Characteristic A" to "Characteristic B") is displayed as a required points display 438 near the ability button 756. The control unit 120 also outputs the number of game points required for changing the character's ability values, etc., as a required points display 420 within the icon 380, in conjunction with the user's decision to change the character's characteristics (in the example in Figure 13(b), the user has adjusted the character's ability type, changed its personality, changed its skills, and changed its characteristics, so the required points display 420 for these changes is shown as "764P").

[0115] (Reflecting character ability adjustments) Next, the ability modification unit 140 and the point unit 150, based on user instructions, consume game points determined according to the changes in the character's ability values, etc., to reflect the adjusted abilities, etc., to the character (S22). In other words, the ability modification unit 140 receives a change instruction for at least one of multiple ability values, etc., of one or more characters owned by the user based on user input, and then the point unit 150 consumes the user's game points according to the amount of change in the ability value, etc., for which the change instruction was received, thereby reflecting the adjusted abilities, etc., to the character. In other words, the point unit 150 consumes game points according to the amount of change in multiple ability values ​​of one of the user's characters based on user instructions, and the ability modification unit 140 makes it possible to change at least a part of the multiple ability values.

[0116] For example, as shown in Figure 14(a), the control unit 120 enables the reflection to be executed based on a user instruction on the icon 380. In this case, the control unit 120 outputs a message 590 to the output unit 100 asking the user whether or not to perform the reflection (in the example in Figure 14(a), the text "Do you want to train character A?" is displayed), and also outputs a point change display 404 showing the change in game points that will be consumed in the reflection (in the example in Figure 14(a), it is shown that the user currently has "18,800" game points and that the user's game points will decrease to "18,036" after the reflection), a no icon 360 that accepts an instruction to cancel the reflection, and a yes icon 362 that accepts an instruction to perform the reflection.

[0117] When the control unit 120 receives a command from the user via the "Yes icon 362" to perform the adjustment, the ability change unit 140 changes the character's ability values, etc., to the content adjusted by the user. The points unit 150 then deducts the game points required to reflect the adjustment from the game points the user possesses. The control unit 120 then outputs a message 592 to the output unit 100 indicating that the adjustment of the character's ability values, etc., has been completed (in the example in Figure 14(b), the text "Character A has been trained!" is output). The control unit 120 then outputs a menu screen to the output unit 100 in response to the user's instruction regarding the OK icon 366 that the output unit 100 has output along with the message 592. At this point, the control unit 120 stores the information regarding the changed character's ability values, etc., as one of the owned character information in the user information storage unit 132. Then, based on instructions from the user, the control unit 120 performs adjustments to the ability values ​​of one or more other characters in the same manner as described above, and reflects the adjustments in the character's ability values.

[0118] Subsequently, the control unit 120 receives a command from the user to select a predetermined number of characters from one or more characters owned by the user and forms a team to be used by the user in the game battle (S24). The control unit 120 may form multiple teams based on the user's command. Then, based on the user's command, the control unit 120 executes a battle between the user's selected team and another team of another user (S26). On the other hand, if the user does not perform training for the characters (No. in S18), the control unit 120 executes steps S24 and S26.

[0119] [System 1 processing flow: Team formation based on other teams] Figure 15 shows an example of the processing flow in the system according to this embodiment. Figures 16 to 25 show an example of the transitions between output screens in the system according to this embodiment.

[0120] First, after the user logs into the game on the information terminal 7, the control unit 120 outputs the first menu screen to the output unit 100 of the information terminal 7. For example, as shown in Figure 16(a), the control unit 120 outputs an icon 320 that accepts the user's instruction to perform training on the character they own (in the example of Figure 16(a), the text "Training" is displayed), an icon 322 that accepts the user's instruction to perform a process to refer to other users' teams (in the example of Figure 16(a), the text "Training Code" is displayed), and an icon 324 that accepts the user's instruction to perform the game tutorial (in the example of Figure 16(a), the text "Tutorial" is displayed). The control unit 120 also displays the total number of game points currently held by the user in a predetermined area of ​​the output unit 100 (in the example of Figure 16(a), the total number of game points held by the user is displayed as point display 401 in the upper right corner of the output unit 100).

[0121] Next, based on the user's selection instruction for icon 322, the control unit 120 outputs a second menu screen, which is a lower-level menu screen of the first menu screen, to the output unit 100, as shown in Figure 16(b). The second menu screen outputs an icon 326 that accepts an instruction to refer to a team of another user different from the user (in the example of Figure 16(b), the text "Enter Team ID" is displayed), an icon 328 that accepts an instruction to publish a team formed by the user on the web (in the example of Figure 16(b), the text "Publish Team" is displayed), and an icon 330 that accepts an instruction to output a list of teams currently published on the web to the output unit 100 (in the example of Figure 16(b), the text "List of Published Teams" is displayed).

[0122] Here, when a user forms a team using one or more characters owned by that user, the control unit 120 stores a team code (team ID) that identifies the team, associating it with the team (for example, associating it with the user ID of that user and storing it as team information in the user information storage unit 132). Then, based on the user's instructions, the control unit 120 publishes the team ID, which is associated with that user and specified by that user, on the web. For example, the control unit 120 publishes the team ID on a predetermined server such as server 3. However, if the user instructs that the team ID not be published, the control unit 120 will not publish the team ID.

[0123] The control unit 120 then receives input from the user of a publicly available team ID (a team ID associated with another user different from the user, or a team ID associated with the user themselves. The user can also use a team ID of a team they have previously formed and made public). It then outputs at least a portion of the ability types and ability values ​​of one or more characters included in the team corresponding to that team ID to the output unit 100. For example, when the control unit 120 receives a selection instruction from the user for an icon 326, it outputs a screen 620 to the output unit 100 that accepts input of a team ID that identifies another team of another user, as shown in Figure 17(a). The screen 620 includes a message 505 prompting the user to enter a team ID (in the example in Figure 17(a), the text "Please enter a team ID" is displayed), an input area 890 for entering the team ID, an icon 382 for receiving an instruction to close the screen 620 and cancel the team ID input, and an icon 384 for determining whether to accept the team ID entered in the input area 890.

[0124] The control unit 120 accepts the user's input of a team ID into the input area 890 (S30). The team ID may be a team ID shared outside of System 1, such as a team ID published by another user on a web page provided by Server 3 or on an SNS platform provided by a social networking service (SNS) provider. Alternatively, the user may obtain another user's team ID from another user's information terminal using their own information terminal 7. The user can refer to the team ID published on the web page, etc., and the team content corresponding to that team ID, and obtain the team ID to input into the input area 890.

[0125] The control unit 120 identifies information corresponding to the received team ID based on a predetermined input instruction from the user and outputs to the user at least a portion of the ability values ​​of one or more characters belonging to other teams, including one or more characters owned by other users. For example, when a team ID is entered by the user in the input area 890, the control unit 120 outputs various information about the team corresponding to the team ID to the output unit 100 (S32). The various information includes, for example, information about one or more characters belonging to the team associated with the team ID. The information about the character includes the character name, one or more techniques associated with the character, one or more ability types of the character, ability values ​​for each ability type, personality, characteristics, etc. For example, as shown in Figure 17(b), the control unit 120 receives a team ID input from the user and outputs a list of techniques usable by one or more characters belonging to the team corresponding to the team ID to the output unit 100. In this case, the control unit 120 outputs the names of one or more techniques associated with a single character to the output unit 100 as character technique information (in the example in Figure 17(b), the character technique information 910 for character A is output in a table format. The same applies to other characters). The control unit 120 also outputs an icon 386 to a predetermined location on the output unit 100 that receives an instruction to output information other than the character technique information for one or more characters belonging to the team to the output unit 100.

[0126] In response to user instructions regarding the icon 386, the control unit 120 outputs the ability values ​​of one or more ability types for one or more characters belonging to the team to the output unit 100, as shown in Figure 18(a). For example, the control unit 120 outputs the ability values ​​of one or more ability types for each character in a table format (in Figure 18(a), for example, the ability values ​​for each ability type of character A are output as character ability information 912). The control unit 120 then receives instructions from the user to execute or not execute team formation based on the team in question. For example, as shown in Figure 18(b), the control unit 120 outputs a message 515 prompting the user to execute team formation based on the team in question (in the example in Figure 18(b), the text "Do you want to create a new team using this team as a model?" is displayed), and also outputs a no icon 360 to accept instructions to cancel team formation and a yes icon 362 to accept instructions to execute team formation.

[0127] When the control unit 120 receives a user instruction for the "yes" icon 362, it prompts the user to select a storage area to store the team to be formed. In System 1, there may be an upper limit on the number of teams that a single user can form, and the area for storing a team formed by a single user (one of the team information in the user information storage unit 132) is called a slot. There may also be an upper limit on the number of slots that can be stored as team information. As shown in Figure 19(a), the control unit 120 receives an instruction from the user to select a slot to store the team to be newly formed. In the example in Figure 19(a), a team has already been formed in slot 950, so the control unit 120 makes it possible to receive an instruction to select another empty slot other than slot 950 (for example, slot 952). The control unit 120 also outputs a message 525 to the output unit 100 prompting the user to select a slot (in the example in Figure 19(a), the text "Please select an available team" is displayed).

[0128] In response to the user's slot selection instruction, the control unit 120 accepts whether or not to proceed with creating a new team in the slot selected by the user, as shown in Figure 19(b). For example, it outputs a message 535 requesting permission to create a team in the slot selected by the user (in the example in Figure 19(b), the text "Do you want to create a new team in this slot?" is displayed), along with a no icon 360 to accept a command to cancel the team creation and a yes icon 362 to confirm the team creation. If the control unit 120 receives a command from the user for the yes icon 362, it starts creating a team in the slot selected by the user (S34).

[0129] Specifically, as shown in Figure 20(a), the control unit 120 outputs to the output unit 100 a slot 952 for a newly formed team, character icons for each of the one or more characters owned by the user (character icon 854, character icon 856, character icon 858, etc.), an information display area 874 that displays information about the character selected by the user, a character count display 411 that displays the number of characters owned by the user, and a point display 401 that shows the game points owned by the user.

[0130] Here, the control unit 120 outputs information (e.g., character name, character icon, etc.) of one or more characters (constituent characters) included in another user's team, identified by the team ID entered by the user, to slot 952. That is, the control unit 120 refers to the user information storage unit 132 of the other user, which stores team information identified by the team ID, obtains information of one or more characters included in that team, and outputs information about each character to slot 952 based on the obtained information. Slot 952 is provided with sub-slots for each character constituting the team (e.g., sub-slot 920, sub-slot 922, etc.), and information for one character is displayed in each sub-slot.

[0131] The control unit 120 then checks whether there is a character owned by the user that is of the same type as at least one character (target character) from the team identified by the team ID (S36). The control unit 120 refers to the user's owned characters and the types of owned characters in the owned character information stored in the user's user information storage unit 132, and refers to the user's user information storage unit 132 to find out the target characters and the types of target characters of other teams of other users corresponding to the user ID. The control unit 120 then checks whether there is a character owned that is of the same type as the target character.

[0132] If the user possesses at least one character of the same type as the target character among the team's characters (Yes in S36), the control unit 120 accepts the selection of a character of the same type as the target character to be formed into the new team, based on the user's selection instruction (S38). In this case, if the user possesses multiple characters of the same type as the target character, the control unit 120 accepts one of the characters selected by the user to be formed into the team.

[0133] For example, in Figure 20(a), a sub-slot 920 for "Character A" is displayed in slot 952. The "Character A" displayed in sub-slot 920 is a "Character A" belonging to another user's other team. The output unit 100 also outputs the character icons for each of the multiple characters owned by the user. In this case, the user owns multiple "Character A" of the same type as the character displayed in sub-slot 920, and the character icons for multiple "Character A" are output to the output unit 100 (character icon 854 and character icon 856). The control unit 120 then assigns a character owned by the user (i.e., Character A) to the sub-slot 920 of a new team based on the user's selection of either character icon 854 or character icon 856. For example, as shown in Figure 20(b), when the user selects character icon 854 (or character icon 856), the control unit 120 outputs a pop-up 630 containing a predetermined set of command menus to the output unit 100. Then, when the control unit 120 receives a user instruction for a menu 640 (in the example of Figure 20(b), the text "Swap" is displayed) included in the pop-up 630, the ability change unit 140 makes it possible to overwrite one or more abilities of the owned character with one or more abilities of the target character. In other words, if there is an owned character of the same type as at least one character of the team identified by the team ID (the target character; in the example of Figure 20(a), the character corresponding to either character icon 854 or character icon 856) owned by the user, the ability change unit 140 makes it possible to overwrite each ability value of the owned character with each ability value of the target character.

[0134] The control unit 120 repeats the process described above for each of the multiple sub-slots included in slot 952, enabling the overwriting of each owned character's ability value to that of the target character. In this case, as shown in Figure 21(a), the control unit 120 may output to the output unit 100 the character icons of the owned characters that have been enabled to overwrite ability values ​​and are now included in the newly formed team, in a manner that allows them to be distinguished from other character icons (for example, by graying them out or shading them).

[0135] Furthermore, if the user does not possess any characters of the same type as those included in slot 952, the control unit 120 may disable user operations on the sub-slots (unowned character slots) of those characters in slot 952, or prevent the output of character images to the unowned character slots. The control unit 120 then makes it possible to apply a character selected by the user from among the characters the user possesses to the unowned character slots. In this case, the control unit 120 applies the user's owned characters regardless of the target characters belonging to other teams of other users that were output to the unowned character slots (that is, the ability values, etc., of the owned characters are not overwritten by the ability values, etc., of the target characters).

[0136] Furthermore, if the user does not possess any characters of the same type as those included in slot 952, the control unit 120 may store the characters the user does not possess as characters the user does not own (for example, the user information storage unit 132 may store the character IDs of the unowned characters in association with the user ID). Then, if the user acquires a character they did not previously own during the processing of S12 or the like, the control unit 120 may have the output unit 100 output a predetermined notification. The predetermined notification may include information indicating that the user has acquired a character they did not previously possess.

[0137] Furthermore, after the control unit 120 processes each of the multiple sub-slots included in slot 952 to allow the user to overwrite the ability values ​​of each character they possess with the ability values ​​of the target character, it outputs information about the techniques of one or more characters belonging to the new team, and information about the ability values ​​of one or more ability types, to the output unit 100, as shown in Figures 21(b) and 22(a), making it perceptible to the user. The control unit 120 can switch between outputting a screen that outputs information about techniques and a screen that outputs information about the ability values ​​of one or more ability types, in response to user instructions on the icon 388. For example, in Figure 21(b), information about the techniques of each character belonging to the new team when the ability values ​​are overwritten is output in a table format for each character as character technique information 930. Here, the control unit 120 may make the differences between the technique before the ability values ​​are overwritten and the technique after the ability values ​​are overwritten more easily perceptible to the user by highlighting them, changing their color, and / or making them blink (for example, Figure 21(b) shows an example in which the fact that character A's "Technique C" has been overwritten to "Technique AB" is displayed in a manner that is easily perceptible to the user. The same applies to other characters). Similarly, as shown in Figure 22(a), the control unit 120 outputs information about each ability type of each character belonging to the new team when the ability values ​​are overwritten as character ability information 932 in a tabular format for each character. Here, the control unit 120 may make the differences between the ability values ​​of each ability type before the ability values ​​are overwritten and the ability values ​​of each ability type after the ability values ​​are overwritten more easily perceptible to the user by highlighting them, changing their color, and / or making them blink (for example, Figure 22(a) shows an example in which the "first parameter" of character A has been overwritten from "219" to "187" and is displayed in a manner that is easily perceptible to the user. The same applies to other characters).

[0138] Next, based on the user's instructions, the control unit 120 outputs a message 545 to the output unit 100 to confirm with the user whether or not to overwrite the abilities of the owned character with the abilities of the target character, as shown in Figure 22(b). The message 545 displays text such as, for example, "Do you want to train with this content?" as shown in Figure 22(b). Along with the message 545, the number of game points required to overwrite the abilities (30,000P consumed) and information regarding the change in the game points the user possesses due to the overwriting of abilities (20,000P before training → 170,000P after training) are also output. Furthermore, the control unit 120 outputs a "No" icon 360 to accept an instruction to cancel overwriting the abilities of the owned character with the abilities of the target character, and a "Yes" icon 362 to accept an instruction to execute overwriting the abilities of the owned character with the abilities of the target character.

[0139] When the control unit 120 receives a user instruction for the Yes icon 362, it checks whether the user has the game points required to rewrite the abilities of the owned characters with the abilities of the target character (S40). If the user has the game points required for the rewrite (Yes in S40), the ability change unit 140 executes the rewrite (S42). The ability change unit 140 updates the ability values ​​of one or more characters (owned characters) belonging to the new team stored in the user information storage unit 132 with the rewritten ability values. The control unit 120 also generates a team ID to identify the new team formed with the one or more owned characters whose ability values ​​have been updated as described above, and stores it in the user information storage unit 132 in association with the user ID. The point unit 150 then consumes the user's game points according to the amount of change in each ability value being rewritten (that is, it subtracts the required game points from the game points the user possesses). The points unit 150 stores the remaining game points after the required game points have been consumed as one of the points held by the user in the user information storage unit 132, associated with the user ID (this updates the points held by the user).

[0140] Furthermore, when the ability modification unit 140 rewrites the ability values ​​of one or more owned characters, the amount of game points consumed when rewriting some of the ability values ​​of some ability types or some of the parameters (personality, skills, characteristics) of one owned character with some of the corresponding ability values ​​of some ability types or some of the parameters of one target character of the same type as the owned character (first consumption) can be made different from the amount of game points consumed when rewriting all of the ability values ​​of all ability types or all of the parameters of one owned character with all of the corresponding ability values ​​of all ability types or all of the parameters of one target character (second consumption). For example, the relationship first consumption < second consumption can be satisfied.

[0141] Furthermore, the control unit 120 may generate a team ID to identify a team each time a user forms a team using one or more characters they possess, in addition to the newly formed team.

[0142] This allows a user to assign their own characters to another user's team and then assemble a team by overwriting each character's ability values ​​with those of the other user's characters. In other words, the control unit 120 can assemble a team that includes the user's characters whose ability values ​​have been overwritten.

[0143] Furthermore, the ability modification unit 140 may, regardless of whether the "team formation based on other teams" process is executed, that is, for example, at least one of the timings before or after the S30-S42 processes described above, and / or at any timing regardless of whether the S30-S42 processes are performed, consume game points corresponding to the amount of change in multiple ability values ​​of the user's characters, and change at least some of the multiple ability values, based on the user's instructions.

[0144] (Disclosure of Team ID) As shown in Figure 23(a), the control unit 120 outputs an icon 340 that accepts instructions to refer to a team of another user different from the user (in the example in Figure 23(a), the text "Enter Team ID" is displayed), an icon 342 that accepts instructions to publish a team formed by the user on the web (in the example in Figure 23(a), the text "Publish Team" is displayed), an icon 344 that accepts instructions to output a list of teams currently published on the web to the output unit 100 (in the example in Figure 23(a), the text "List of Published Teams" is displayed), and a point display 406 that displays the game points held by the user.The control unit 120 then makes it possible to accept instructions for icon 342 (S44).

[0145] When the control unit 120 receives a user instruction regarding icon 342 (Yes in S44), it publishes the team ID identifying the team specified by the user on the web (S46). Specifically, when the control unit 120 receives a user instruction regarding icon 342, it refers to the team information stored in the user information storage unit 132, which is associated with the user's user ID, and outputs the details of one or more teams formed by the user to the output unit 100. For example, as shown in Figure 23(b), the control unit 120 outputs the slots of each of the one or more teams formed by the user to the output unit 100 (each slot includes a No. that identifies the slot, and an icon that includes the names and character images of one or more characters owned by the team corresponding to that slot). In the example in Figure 23(b), the slots of the formed teams (e.g., slot 954, slot 956, etc.) are displayed along with a message 555 prompting the user to select a team to publish (in the example in Figure 23(b), the text "Please select a team to publish" is displayed).

[0146] Then, when the control unit 120 receives an instruction from the user to select a slot, it causes the output unit 100 to output detailed information about the team stored in that slot. For example, suppose the user selects slot 954 as shown in Figure 23(b). In this case, as shown in Figure 24(a), the control unit 120 outputs information about the techniques of one or more characters that make up the team corresponding to slot 954 as character technique information to the output unit 100. The control unit 120 can switch between outputting a screen that outputs information about techniques and a screen that outputs information about the ability values ​​of one or more ability types, in response to the user's instruction for the icon 389. For example, information about techniques that can be used by one character (character G) included in the team is output to the output unit 100 in tabular format as character technique information 940. Also, as shown in Figure 24(b), the control unit 120 outputs the ability values ​​of one or more ability types for one or more characters that make up the team corresponding to slot 954 as character ability information to the output unit 100. For example, the ability values ​​of multiple types of abilities of a character (character G) included in the team are output in a table format to the output unit 100 as character ability information 942. The user can refer to this output and consider whether or not to disclose the team ID of the team they have selected.

[0147] The control unit 120 publishes the team ID of the team corresponding to the slot selected by the user on the web based on the user's instructions. For example, as shown in Figure 25, the control unit 120 outputs a message 565 to the output unit 100 to ask the user whether or not it is OK to publish the team ID of the team selected by the user (in the example in Figure 25, the text "Do you want to publish this team?" is displayed). It also outputs a no icon 360 to the output unit 100 to accept an instruction to cancel the publication of the team ID, and a yes icon 362 to accept an instruction to proceed with the publication of the team ID. If the control unit 120 receives an instruction from the user for the yes icon 362, it publishes the team ID on the web.

[0148] On the other hand, the control unit 120 terminates processing in system 1 if it does not possess one or more target characters of the same type as those included in the team corresponding to the team ID entered by the user (No. S36), if the user does not possess the game points required to rewrite ability values, etc. (No. S40), or if the user does not disclose the team ID (No. S44).

[0149] (A modified version of the processing flow for System 1) If the user does not possess enough game points to cover the cost of rewriting ability values, etc. (No. S40), the ability modification unit 140 may perform the ability value rewriting as follows.

[0150] In other words, the ability modification unit 140 makes it possible to rewrite only the ability types and other abilities (personality, techniques, characteristics) that can be rewritten with the game points possessed by the user, in the order of characters determined in a predetermined order from among one or more characters in the party that the user wishes to rewrite ability values, etc. The predetermined order may be, for example, the ascending or descending order of character names, or the order of characters set when another user has formed a team.

[0151] Also, when one or more characters included in a party for which the user desires to rewrite ability values or the like, the ability change unit 140 first consumes the game points held by the user in the order of the characters determined in a predetermined order among the one or more characters to rewrite the ability values or the like. In this case, when the user does not have the game points required for all the rewrites of the ability values or the like of a single character in the rewrite of the ability values or the like of a single character, the ability change unit 140 may execute the rewrite up to the ability values or the like that can be rewritten with the game points held by the user based on the priority order defined in advance for each of the plurality of ability values or the like. For example, when performing the adjustment of the ability values from the first ability value of the first ability type to the m-th ability value of the m-th ability type (where m is an integer of 2 or more) (see the process in S20 for example), if the user has the game points required for the rewrite up to the n-th ability value (where n is an integer and satisfies the relationship n < m), the ability change unit 140 executes the rewrite from the first ability value to the n-th ability value and does not execute the rewrite from the n + 1-th ability value to the m-th ability value.

[0152] Furthermore, the ability change unit 140 may make it possible to rewrite only for the character designated by the user and for the ability types or other abilities designated by the user among the one or more characters included in the party for which the user desires to rewrite the ability values or the like.

[0153] Furthermore, if the user does not possess the game points required to rewrite all of a character's ability values, the control unit 120 may accept the user's selection of ability values ​​to be rewritten from among multiple ability values, and then have the ability modification unit 140 perform the rewriting. For example, the control unit 120 associates a rewrite flag with one or more ability values ​​that the user wishes to rewrite, based on the user's instructions. The ability modification unit 140 then performs the rewriting of the ability values ​​to which the rewrite flag is associated. As an example, the control unit 120 outputs multiple ability values ​​for a character to the output unit 100, and outputs a button (ON / OFF button) or the like to accept rewrite instructions from the user in each of the output areas for the multiple ability values. When the control unit 120 receives a user instruction to press a button for a single ability value (for example, the ON button), it associates a rewrite flag with that ability value. When the instruction to that button is canceled (for example, when the ON button is turned OFF), it removes the association of the rewrite flag. The ability modification unit 140 then performs the rewrite of the ability value to which the rewrite flag is associated. The control unit 120 accepts one or more rewrite instructions for ability values ​​within the range of game points held by the user.

[0154] [program] Each component of System 1 according to this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 25, can be realized by having a processing unit (processor), such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), execute a program; in other words, by software processing. Alternatively, it can be realized by pre-writing a program to hardware, such as an integrated circuit (IC), which is an electronic component. A processor is hardware for executing the instruction set described in a program, and is composed of an arithmetic unit, registers, peripheral circuits, etc. Furthermore, software and hardware can be used in combination.

[0155] In other words, the program according to this embodiment is a program to be executed by a computer equipped with a processor and memory (for example, a program to be executed by a computer that controls a game in which characters can fight each other in a virtual game space). The program according to this embodiment can be pre-built into, for example, an IC or ROM. The program can also be provided as a computer program by recording it on a computer-readable recording medium such as a magnetic recording medium, optical recording medium, or semiconductor recording medium in an installable or executable file format. The recording medium storing the program may be a non-transient recording medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD. Furthermore, the program can be pre-stored on a computer connected to a communication network such as the Internet, and made available for download via the communication network. The program according to this embodiment can be configured to include a predetermined game engine and can also be provided to a user as an application for executing character battles in a virtual game space.

[0156] The program according to this embodiment interacts with the CPU and other components to cause the program to function as the output unit 100, output control unit 102, input unit 110, control unit 120, storage unit 130, capability change unit 140, point unit 150, and communication unit 160, as described in Figures 1 to 25.

[0157] [Effects of the embodiment] In this embodiment, System 1 publishes on the web one or more characters included in a team formed by a user other than the user. If the type of character included in the team is the same as the type of character owned by the user, the user can add the character of the same type to their own team and, on the condition of spending game points, overwrite the ability values ​​of their own character with the ability values ​​of the other user's character. In other words, in System 1, instead of renting another user's character, if the user owns a character of the same type as another user's character, they can overwrite the ability values ​​of that character with the ability values ​​of the other user's character and then form the character with the overwritten ability values ​​into their own team. As a result, the user can apply the ability values ​​that have been adjusted by another user to their own character without having to adjust the ability values ​​of their own character, making it easy for the user to use a character adjusted by another user as their own character.

[0158] Furthermore, in System 1, even after or before overwriting a user's own character's ability values ​​with those of another user's character, as described above, the user can change their own character's ability values ​​by spending game points. This allows System 1 to provide flexibility in adjusting character ability values ​​and makes it easier for users to develop their strategies for battles. Moreover, if a user has a character of the same type as a character whose ability values ​​have been adjusted by another user, they can add that character to their own team and further adjust its ability values, making it easier for users to create original teams even when referencing other users' characters. Therefore, System 1 prevents situations where multiple users use the same team, contributing to a more vibrant game environment.

[0159] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments described above do not limit the invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, it should be noted that not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential for solving the problem of the invention. Moreover, the technical elements of the embodiments described above may be applied individually or may be divided into multiple parts, such as program components and hardware components, and applied accordingly.

[0160] Furthermore, the functions realized by the components described herein may be implemented in a circuit or processing circuitry, including general-purpose processors, application-specific processors, integrated circuits, Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), a Central Processing Unit (CPU), conventional circuits, and / or combinations thereof, programmed to realize the described functions. A processor, including transistors and other circuits, is considered a circuit or processing circuitry. A processor may be a programmed processor that executes a program stored in memory. In this specification, circuitry, unit, and means are hardware programmed to realize or perform the described functions. Such hardware may be any hardware disclosed herein, or any hardware known to be programmed to realize or perform the described functions. If such hardware is a processor that is considered a type of circuitry, then such circuitry, means, or unit is a combination of hardware and software used to constitute such hardware and / or processor.

[0161] Furthermore, the program according to this embodiment may also be referred to in the following supplementary information, which should not be confused with the claims.

[0162] (Additional note 1) A program to be executed on a computer that controls a game that includes a processor and memory and is capable of performing battles between characters in a virtual game space, The program is provided to the processor: A step of receiving input from the second user of a first team code that identifies a first team containing one or more characters owned by the first user, A step of outputting at least a portion of the status of each of the one or more characters included in the first team corresponding to the first team code, If the second user possesses one or more characters, and at least one of those characters is of the same race as the target character, then, based on the second user's instructions, the status of the possessed characters is rewritten to the status of the target character, subject to the consumption of predetermined points. The steps include setting up a second team for the second user, which includes the aforementioned owned character whose status has been rewritten, and A program that executes the command. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0163] 1 System 3, 4 Servers 5. Communication Network 7, 7a, 7n information terminals 100 Output section 102 Output Control Unit 110 Input Section 120 Control Unit 130 Storage Unit 132 User Information Storage Unit 134 Character Information Storage Unit 140 Ability Modification Section 150 points 160 Communications Department Icons 300, 302, 304, 306, 310, 312 Icons 320, 322, 324, 326, 328, 330 Icons 340, 342, 344 350, 352 Movement icons 354, 356 Adjustment buttons 360 No icon 362 Yes icon 364 Close icon 366 OK icon Icons 370, 372, 374, 380 Icons 382, ​​384, 386, 388, 389 390 Cancel icon 392, 394, 396, 398, 399 Icons Displayed in 400, 401, and 406 points. 402, 404 Point change display 410, 411 Display of owned character count 420, 422, 424, 426, 428, 430, 432, 434, 436, 438 Required points displayed Messages 500, 505, 510, 515, 520, 525, 530, 535, 540, 545, 550, 555, 560, 565, 570, 580, 590, 592 Screens 600, 602, 604, 606, 608, 610 620 screen 630 Pop-up 640 menu items 700, 702, 704, 706 information display 710, 712 Select button 720, 722, 724, 726 Titles 750, 751, 752, 754, 756, 758, 759 Ability Buttons 760, 762 Ability score display 770 Total Ability Points Display 780 Selection Table 790, 792, 794 Technique buttons 800 character names 810 Type Display 850, 852, 854, 856, 858 character icons 860 gauge 870, 872, 874 Information display area 880 Special Button 890 Input area 900 characters Character skill information for 910, 930, and 940. Character ability information for 912, 932, and 942. 920, 922 Small Slots Slots 950, 952, 954, 956

Claims

1. A program to be executed on a computer that has a processor and memory and controls a game capable of performing battles between characters in a virtual game space, The program is provided to the processor: The first step is to receive a change instruction for at least one of several ability values ​​that affect the battle of one or more characters owned by the first user, based on the input of the first user. The steps include: consuming the first game points of the first user in accordance with the amount of change in the ability value for which the change instruction was received; Based on input from the second user, the process involves outputting to the second user at least a portion of the ability values ​​of each of the one or more characters included in the first team, which includes the one or more characters owned by the first user. If, among the one or more characters owned by the second user, there is a character whose identification information is the same as that of at least one target character among the one or more characters of the first team, the ability values ​​of each of those owned characters are rewritten to the ability values ​​of the target character. The steps include: consuming the second game points of the second user in accordance with the amount of change in each of the ability values ​​to be rewritten; A program that executes the command.

2. The step of forming a second team for the second user, which includes the aforementioned owned character whose ability values ​​have been rewritten. The program according to claim 1, which further executes the following.

3. The aforementioned first team is associated with a first team code that identifies the first team, The first step of disclosing the team code, A step of receiving input from the second user of the publicly available first team code and Let's execute this further, The program according to claim 1, wherein the output step outputs at least a portion of the ability values ​​of each of the one or more characters included in the first team corresponding to the first team code.

4. The steps include generating a second team code to identify the second team, The steps include: publishing the second team code based on the instructions of the second user; The program according to claim 2, which further executes the following.

5. A step in which, at least one of the timings before or after the rewriting step, based on the instructions of the second user, the second game points are consumed in proportion to the amount of change in multiple ability values ​​of the character owned by the second user, and at least a portion of the multiple ability values ​​can be changed. The program according to claim 1, which further executes the following.

6. A step in which, based on the instructions of the first user, the first game points are consumed in proportion to the amount of change in multiple ability values ​​of one of the first user's characters, and at least a portion of the multiple ability values ​​can be changed. The program according to claim 1, which further executes the following.

7. The program according to claim 1, wherein the step of consuming the second game points is such that, in the step of rewriting the ability values ​​of the target character, the amount of second game points consumed when rewriting some of the ability values ​​of the owned characters to the ability values ​​of the target character is different from the amount of second game points consumed when rewriting all of the ability values ​​of the owned characters to the ability values ​​of the target character.

8. A system comprising means for performing all steps performed in the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. An information processing apparatus comprising a control unit and a storage unit, wherein the control unit performs all steps performed in the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A server comprising a control unit and a storage unit, wherein the control unit performs all steps performed in the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

11. A method to be performed on a computer having a processor and memory, A method by which the processor performs all the steps performed in the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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